DATE & TIME
30 September 2026, 15:45 – 17:00
TRACKS
TRACK 5: Living Labs Operation, Methods, Tools, and Impact
ROOM
Marble
TYPE OF SESSION
Topic Debate
Description
How can Living Labs turn local experimentation into lasting impact? This session explores how agriculture, food systems and rural development Living Labs can scale successful initiatives, strengthen collaboration across their ecosystems, and develop meaningful approaches to impact assessment.
Through practical experiences, interactive debate, and diverse stakeholder perspectives, participants will discuss how Living Labs in these themes can support resilient, inclusive and sustainable transitions for greater impact.
Agenda
| Timeslot | Item | Speakers |
|---|---|---|
| 15:45 – 15:55 | Welcome and introduction | Moderator to be confirmed |
| 15:55 – 16:10 | Keynote | To be confirmed |
| 16:10 – 16:30 | Experiences from the Living Labs | Lorenzo Labellarte (CIHEAM) Reindert Devlamynck (Inagro Living Lab) Susana Filipe (Montado Living Lab) Pietro Iavazzo (ERSAF) |
| 16:30 – 16:50 | Debate | All speakers and audience |
| 16:50 – 17:00 | Audience Q&A and closing reflections | All speakers |
Speakers
Reindert Devlamynck
Research Leader Energy and Circular Economy, and Living Lab Coordinator, Living Lab Inagro
Reindert Devlamynck
Research Leader Energy and Circular Economy, and Living Lab Coordinator, Living Lab Inagro
Reindert Devlamynck works for Inagro, the applied research and advisory centre for agriculture and horticulture in Flanders, Belgium.
He was involved in the foundation and establishment of the Living Lab Circularity of Inagro in 2020. In 2026 this evolved into a merged Living Lab of Inagro focusing on innovative farming systems, covering areas such as greenhouse horticulture and soil health.
His role in the Living Lab is to structure its activities and to support and educate colleagues in reaching the highest quality of multi-actor approach.
Susana Filipe
CEO, Global Change and Sustainability Institute (CHANGE)
Susana Filipe
CEO, Global Change and Sustainability Institute (CHANGE)Susana Filipe is the CEO of the Global Change and Sustainability Institute (CHANGE), a leading R&D Hub of over 360 researchers focusing on the development of evidence-based governance and environmental policies. With 20 years of international experience across Europe and the Middle East, she has managed multidisciplinary teams in academia and the chemical industry. Since 2012, Susana has also served as a European Commission Expert, evaluating and steering Horizon projects. Within the Montado Living Lab, as an expert in circularity, resource preservation and valorisation, her work drives science-based public policies for soil health and agricultural systems, translating advanced R&D into evidence-based solutions for global sustainability challenges.
Pietro Iavazzo
Head of Research and European Projects, Department of Agriculture, ERSAF
Pietro Iavazzo
Head of Research and European Projects, Department of Agriculture, ERSAF
Pietro Iavazzo is an environmental agronomist and PhD specialist in soil chemistry at ERSAF, the Regional Agency for Agriculture and Forestry Services of Lombardy, where he heads the Research and European Projects unit.
With nearly twenty years of experience spanning academic research, environmental remediation and EU project management, his work focuses on soil health monitoring, carbon farming and precision agriculture. At ERSAF he coordinates field experiments, regional soil monitoring networks and international partnerships under LIFE and Horizon programmes.
He is also responsible for the Living Lab “Innovative and Sustainable Models for Soil Health”, which operates within Lombardy’s AKIS framework to co-design and validate sustainable soil management practices with farmers and research institutions.