Sustainable agriculture has real potential and is already delivering results across the entire food chain. The biggest barrier to its wider adoption is the misconception that it does not work. Members of the ASAF Board discuss what could change that perception, why the sector needs a new generation, and how their own journeys into sustainable farming and food began.
Jarosław Wańkowicz
My cooperation with the Association goes back almost to the very beginning. I had already been working on sustainable agriculture for more than a decade — first as part of a project, and later, driven by the desire to share this knowledge with a wider group of farmers and with society, we co-founded the Association.
I have been connected to agriculture since childhood. I grew up near a farm and later studied agriculture. Back during my university days, sustainability was already widely discussed, although it was not easy to translate into everyday practice. That changed when I joined Farm Frites Poland. Demanding customers turned out to be a strong driver of change: they expected sustainable practices from their raw material suppliers, and our processing plants responded to those expectations.
My focus is on sharing this knowledge and putting it into practice, especially among younger generations, so that future farmers can work consciously, with sustainable and regenerative agriculture at the core of what they do.rolnictwa.
Agata Stolarska
I have been involved with the Association almost since its inception. For years, I supported its work on behalf of Timac Agro Polska, especially in the practical implementation of sustainable farming principles on farms. I am also very close to the AgroWoman project, where I serve as a mentor. Over the past two years, I have chaired the Audit Committee. Joining the Board feels like a natural next step and a chance to bring my experience and management skills to the broader mission of sustainable farming and food.
My career in agriculture is based on 25 years of professional experience and daily contact with farmers facing real production and environmental challenges. Over that time, I have had the opportunity to see the market change and help introduce new solutions. Sustainability is important to me because it combines farm efficiency with responsibility for the soil, the environment and future generations. I believe this is the only way to build agriculture that is both resilient and durable.
What I am most passionate about is reaching young people and showing them that the agri sector can be an attractive, modern career path with real prospects. I would like us to change the way younger generations see rural areas by highlighting their potential, diversity and importance for society.okolenie postrzega wieś — pokazując jej potencjał, różnorodność i znaczenie dla całego społeczeństwa.
Dr. Jerzy Próchnicki
More than three years before the Association was formally established, I joined an initiative promoting sustainable agriculture in Poland together with representatives of Farm Frites Poland, Grupa Żywiec and ProCam. I joined the Board primarily because I wanted to share knowledge, experience and thoughts on how agriculture needs to evolve in a changing world.
Although I come from a family of lawyers, I grew up on my grandparents’ farms, where farming and beekeeping were part of everyday life. Studying agriculture was a natural choice for me. Curiosity led me to a wide range of research work, and from there it was a short step to a more holistic view of agriculture and food production.
ASAF (Association for Sustainable Agriculture and Food in Poland) is a truly unique organization, even in the European context. It brings together very different market players around a shared goal: making the economy more sustainable by improving agriculture and rebuilding environmental resources. Staying consistently on that path will be the best guarantee of the Association’s durability and relevance, regardless of market conditions.ie najlepszą gwarancją trwałości Stowarzyszenia i jego znaczenia — niezależnie od zmian koniunktury.
Karolina Felczak-Konarska
I was an active member of the Association and represented it at industry events, with my focus areas being Integrated Pest Management (IPM), field trials and soil analysis. Today, as R&D Director at Procam, I work in the same areas: horticulture and agriculture based on sustainability practices, Integrated Pest Management and balanced fertilization.
I have been involved in the agri sector for more than 15 years — long enough to see the market change and help bring new solutions into use. I try to bridge the gap between scientific research and practical farming. This is personal for me too: my husband and I run a fruit orchard, and I see every day how important it is to combine sustainable growing methods with Integrated Pest Management.
Looking ahead, my focus is on building strong synergies among our member companies. True progress happens when we collaborate, and I want to make sure every member actively contributes to—and benefits from—the sustainable solutions we are bringing to the field.
Michał Siwek
My cooperation with the Association developed gradually through industry initiatives, substantive dialogue and co-organizing events focused on the transformation of the Food & Agri sector. These experiences reinforced my belief in how important it is to connect the perspectives of farmers, business, science and policymakers. From a financial perspective, it is increasingly clear that banks, guided by regulatory changes, need to direct capital toward businesses driving sustainable transformation. Joining the Board is an opportunity to bring that perspective into the discussion and support scalable initiatives.
My connection to agriculture comes from many years of working in the Food & Agri sector and from daily cooperation across the entire value chain — from farmers and processors to retailers and financial partners. At BNP Paribas Bank Polska, I am responsible for projects related to regenerative agriculture, decarbonization and biodiversity. I see sustainability as a practical way to strengthen sector resilience, ensure food security and create long-term business value.
What I want to see most is regenerative agriculture scaling up by demonstrating its real profitability and its role as a tool for adapting to climate change. There is still a belief that this approach is costly and difficult to implement. I want the Association to help challenge that view by showing concrete business models and the economic benefits it brings to farmers and to the entire value chain. Only then will regenerative agriculture move beyond pilot projects and become a real direction for sector transformation.
Karolina Tarnawska
My journey with the Association began in 2019, when I became the first woman on our Board. Since then, I have actively helped shape it, invited valuable people to join, and watched the organization grow stronger. The AgroWoman initiative was created on my initiative, and since then both organizations have worked closely together, building a space that connects women in the agri sector and gives them a real voice in the industry. This is my third term, and I deeply appreciate the continued trust placed in me by the Association’s members.
Sustainable agriculture is close to my heart because I see it as one of the key areas shaping the future of the economy, society and the environment. Professionally, I come from the world of finance and procurement, and for years I have seen the impact this industry has on the entire value chain and, ultimately, on the quality of the food that reaches our tables. I believe that agricultural development must go hand in hand with responsibility — toward people, nature and future generations. My greatest aspiration is to see the Association continue to grow as an important voice in sustainable farming and food. I also want its activities to align naturally with AgroWoman and strengthen one another. This has a deeply personal meaning for me — as a mother of three daughters, I often think about the future we are leaving for this sector and for generations to come.