Lorena Basso, President of Semillas Basso, was elected the first-ever female president of the International Seed Federation at the 2026 World Seed Congress in Lisbon, Portugal
Global seed sector concludes three days of dialogue and action on trade, innovation, social responsibility, genetic resources, and resilient food systems
LISBON, PORTUGAL, May 21, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The World Seed Congress 2026, the largest annual global gathering of the seed sector, concluded in Lisbon, with record participation from over 900 different companies and organizations, and the election of Lorena Basso of Argentina as the first woman President of ISF in its 102-year history.
Hosted by the International Seed Federation (ISF), the Congress brought together more than 1,800 delegates and guests from 78 countries. Under the theme “Joint Actions, Resilient Futures,” the event convened seed companies, national and regional seed associations, policymakers, researchers, innovators, value-chain partners, and next-generation leaders at a time when climate shocks, geopolitical instability, and trade disruptions continue to place pressure on global agri-food systems.
“The World Seed Congress in Lisbon has shown that, even in a time of constant change and volatility, our members, representing 96% of global seed trade, are committed to continue working together — across regions, crops, business models, and generations – to ensure farmers everywhere have access to quality seed, supporting food and nutrition security, and helping build resilient food systems for the future,” said Michael Keller, Secretary General of ISF.
A historic leadership milestone for ISF
During the ISF General Assembly, Lorena Basso was elected President of the International Seed Federation, becoming the first woman to hold the role. Basso, President of Basso Semillas, a family-owned seed company in Argentina, brings more than two decades of experience in the seed industry and has been actively involved in ISF’s strategic work as a member of the Board of Directors.
In her address to members, Basso recognized the significance of the moment not only for herself, but for women across the seed sector and for Latin America. She paid tribute to the women working “in the field, in laboratories, in companies, in associations, in leadership roles, and many times behind the scenes,” and highlighted the importance of building spaces that open doors for the next generation.
“Being the first woman to serve as ISF President means a lot to me,” Basso said. “And sharing this moment with a woman Vice President makes it even more special,” referring to the election of Ellen Sparry, General Manager of C&M Seeds, as Vice-President, paving her way to assume the presidency after Basso in 2028.
Reflecting on her family’s long history in the seed sector, including her father and grandfather, Basso described their legacy as one of “work, respect, commitment, honesty, and love for seeds.” Looking ahead, she called on ISF to remain focused not only on efficiency and action, but on purpose.
“We are here because we believe that seeds matter,” Basso said. “We are here because we know that our work has an impact beyond ourselves: on farmers, on food systems, on innovation, on climate resilience, and on future generations.”
From commitments to practical action
The Lisbon Congress also saw the launch of ISF’s new practical guidance document, A Practical Guide for Seed Production: Navigating Social Rights and Ethical Practices in the Seed Sector. The voluntary framework is designed to help seed companies, suppliers, growers, and associations strengthen responsible labor practices across the seed value chain.
Throughout the three-day Congress, speakers representing international organizations such as the World Bank, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), as well as industry representatives, emphasized the importance of building inclusive and resilient global and local seed systems. Developing and delivering a commercial seed variety often involves breeding, testing, production, quality assurance, and distribution across multiple countries, making an open, predictable, and science-based seed trade essential to farmer access and global food security.
Sessions also highlighted the importance of regulatory coherence for plant breeding innovation, including new genomic techniques in Europe and beyond, and the need for policies that allow innovation to reach farmers without unnecessary, non-science-based barriers.
Discussions on plant genetic resources underscored the need for continued collaboration around conservation, access, and benefit-sharing, recognizing that genetic diversity remains the foundation of plant breeding, biodiversity, climate adaptation, and long-term food security. The Congress also issued a clear call to action for sustained investment in gene banks and stronger public-private collaboration to conserve, characterize, and make plant genetic resources available for breeding, research, and farmer resilience.
“The discussions in Lisbon were not only about the challenges before us, but more importantly, about the responsibility – and opportunity – of the seed sector to help shape what comes next. Resilient futures will depend on joint actions, and Lisbon has given us a clear mandate to continue that work.”
The Congress was hosted in cooperation with ANSEME, the Portuguese Seed Association, whose members represent almost 90 percent of the Portuguese seed market. Portugal’s seed sector, with strong links to Europe and the Lusophone world, provided a fitting setting for discussions on farmer access, climate adaptation, innovation, and global collaboration.
Harvey Presence
Marchmont Communications
+44 7582 195497
email us here
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability
for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this
article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
