Press release: E Tipu 2022: The Boma Agri Summit|Summit programme and more speakers announced

E Tipu: The Boma Agri Summit is the ultimate place to zoom out, connect and collaborate on what’s shaping the future of our primary industries. The summit will take place at Christchurch Town Hall and virtually next week, 21-22 June. 

Through mainstage talks, expert panels, interactive workshops and innovative exhibitions, E Tipu 2022 tackles major topics shaping the future of food and fibre head-on, including:

  • How do we get ahead of climate change and turn sustainability into an opportunity?

  • What are the key innovations disrupting the primary sector?

  • How is our freshwater environment changing, both on the ground and in governance?

  • What is the future of data in food and fibre?

The action-packed E Tipu 2022 programme again does Aotearoa proud — showcasing extraordinary insights from over 30 local and global leaders in food and fibre. 

Newly confirmed for the summit lineup is AgResearch quantitative geneticist Dr. Suzanne Rowe, a passionate advocate for climate science and helping agriculture adapt to meet the challenges of climate change. At E Tipu 2022, she’ll be speaking on her world-first research of breeding low methane emitting sheep.

Another agriscience champion joining the summit lineup is AgResearch scientist and early career ambassador Dr. Louise Hennessy (Ngāti Maniapoto), speaking on agricultural science and driving efforts to encourage more rangatahi into the realm of natural sciences. 

Also confirmed is CarbonCrop founder and CTO Nick Butcher. He'll be speaking on climate tech and AI, and how blending technology and rethinking our models of collaboration will give us solutions to even the most historically intractable of problems.

Joining them on the summit stage is AgriSea CEO Clare Bradley. Clare believes Aotearoa has the opportunity to live up to its international image of being a clean, green, high-value economy providing quality products while achieving the best living standards in the world. At E Tipu 2022, she’ll speak on building sustainable and ethical businesses.

Adding to the powerful programme is University of Auckland senior lecturer and protein biochemist Dr. Laura Domigan, climate tech investor and clean energy advocate Ramez Naam, Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Chief Transformation Officer Jenny Cameron, and New Zealand agribusiness leader Lain Jager.

Along with a legendary speaker list, E Tipu 2022 will host panels focused on some of the most pertinent topics facing the food and fibre sectors. Summit MC Rod Oram will facilitate a Freshwater Futures panel to explore the critical questions: How is our fresh water environment changing, both on the ground and in governance? And: How do we need to adapt our approach to water in order to thrive? 

Joining the Freshwater Futures panel are Te Aukaha Māori agribusiness expert and Pakihiroa Farms Ltd general manager Hilton Collier (Ngāti Porou), New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research Ltd. principal scientist Dr. Brent Clothier, water resource management expert Christina Robb, and freshwater and resource management reform specialist Mike Jebson.

In-person E Tipu 2022 attendees are automatically registered to attend the Food, Fibre and Agritech Supernode Challenge (FFAC) finale showcase and awards ceremony directly following day one of the summit. Powered by ChristchurchNZ, with the support of KiwiNet and the Canterbury Mayoral Forum, and delivery partners University of Canterbury Centre of Entrepreneurship, ThincLab Canterbury and B.linc Innovation, the FFAC finale sees the top 12 cutting-edge ventures battle it out for a share in over $70,000 in cash and in-kind prizes as well as access to the innovation ecosystem.

As a truly hybrid summit, attendees from around the world are set to join E Tipu 2022 for an immersive virtual experience. Delivered through a full-service event platform, virtual attendees have live access to all mainstage talks and panels, as well as exclusive speaker Q&A workshops and virtual networking sessions.

E Tipu 2022 is powered by Boma with the support of Silver Partners MPI, AGMARDT and the Agritech Industry Transformation Plan (ITP) taskforce (a coalition including Callaghan Innovation, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, MBIE, MFAT,  and MPI), and Major Media Partner Go Media. Backing the summit for a second consecutive year as Host City Partner is ChristchurchNZ. 

Join primary industry leaders and changemakers at Aotearoa’s biggest food and fibre sector summit of the year. Special ticket rates are available for farmers, not-for-profits, startups, groups, students and youth. In-Person and Virtual Just In Time tickets are available at etipu.boma.global/attend.