Accenture Takes on World Hunger and Food Chain Sustainability at the 2023 Borlaug International Dialogue

Accenture recently took part in the Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue hosted by the World Food Prize Foundation, where global leaders, experts, educators, and students from over 65 countries came together to address pressing issues related to global food security and nutrition. The 2023 Borlaug Dialogue centered on the theme "Harnessing Change," focusing on innovation, adaptation, and diversification to build a resilient, sustainable, and equitable food system.

This event gathered paradigm shifters from various fields, working towards eradicating global hunger, malnutrition, and poverty, under the six sub-themes of nourishment, regeneration, innovation, resilience, mobilization, and empowerment.

The event featured a poignant keynote from US Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, reflecting on the agricultural challenges, including the need for smaller farms to adapt to changing times. Many small and mid-size operators face uncertainties about the future of farming in an industry dominated by a few large-scale players.

The challenge posed at the event was clear: to find fiscally and environmentally sustainable ways for smaller farms to continue their traditions while transforming global food systems for the better.

Later in the week, Eric Olson, Managing Director of Sustainability Services at Accenture, participated in a panel discussion called "Harnessing Change" at the Global Youth Institute (GYI), a platform that brought together more than 300 young people and educators from ten different countries. The GYI focused on inspiring the next generation of agricultural innovators.

The panel, moderated by Paul Schickler, Chairman of the WFPF Council of Advisors and former President of DuPoint Pioneer, featured participants from various backgrounds, including dairy farmers, a research scientist, and a field scientist for seed systems. The discussion covered topics such as scaling innovation, producer education, intergenerational collaboration, global food security, and the need for new financial and technological solutions.

Eric Olson encouraged the participants to explore innovation not only within the traditional agriculture and food sectors but also in adjacent areas where technology and data can play a role.

“What it fundamentally requires is collaboration of a type and at a scale that we have not practiced at scale before. You’ve got to have farmers, local government, supply chain partners, farmers with each other and government, technology and services providers together. The best experiments I’ve seen have all of these people at the table, not just sharing the science, but sharing investment. I call it radical collaboration – public-private partnership,” he said.

“You can’t just work with one company or one big farm and solve the problem. You’ve got to find a way for people to pursue collective effort. And that means, in addition to technologists, we need people who are really good at organizing and inspiring really diverse groups of people and helping to get something done.”

The panelists discussed the importance of Environmental Social Governance (ESG) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in investments and organizations. Olson stressed the need to shift the dialog away from buzzwords and acronyms towards practical solutions that address issues like energy usage and water conservation.

As the discussion turned to engaging youth in the field of food sustainability, speakers highlighted the diverse range of career opportunities available, from social entrepreneurship and education to AI, biotech, and data science, all of which can contribute to ag sustainability.

In closing, Eric Olson left the students with a powerful message, urging them to use their voices to advocate for change with current leaders, ensuring that progress doesn't stall or wait for the next generation to solve. He emphasized the importance of keeping pressure on current leaders – including the students’ own parents -- in food and sustainability to move faster and be more collaborative and creative.

Accenture's commitment to collaborating with the Global Youth Institute for curriculum planning and youth programming throughout the coming year reflects their dedication to inspiring positive change and nurturing the next generation of talent in food and sustainability.

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As I reflect on the week, it felt personal. I was a student just like the GYI participants, just a few decades ago – a 4-Her, a journalist for the regional newspaper, and more. My roots span Nebraska, Iowa, Ohio and beyond – and my family has always been deeply involved in ag finance, real estate and community education via the University of Nebraska Extension. My journey is ongoing, and I hope the students and Borlaug Dialog participants walked away inspired to innovate – together supporting the farmers and thinkers who are making real change happen.