Agriculture-The Need For Change

The world has changed dramatically in recent times. Financial engineering for profit at the expense of principle and community has undeniably failed. Now is the time to respectfully grow people and community within business using methods that are sustainable , collaborative and healthy. Create a sustainable business to empower agriculture , agribusiness and community to be great learners and leaders.

It's not business as usual when it comes to agriculture and food security. Recent times has highlighted the necessity for agricultural producers across all mediums of food production systems to re-access the business model. To look at returning to basic business principles and philosophies , also value adding your product where ever you can. Some of these principles could be as simple as value adding off farm direct to processing plants through to the supply chain. Transport , logistics and export. Developing a cohort of common interest producers across all regional identified commodities grown to specification targets that allow for direct brand marketing off farm straight to the processor into the supply chain -domestic , national and international.  looking at innovation assessment on real needs of clients , assess the clients business profile. Enhance knowledge and re-train workers. Organising company networks and negotiations to explore real time opportunities. domestically , nationally and internationally. Finding common solutions to bring about global solutions to international level. Eliminate wastage and unnecessary duplication , to value add across the clients business model and product range. The power of success reflects the power of your network , taking the company and leading it on a path to local and international success. Framework for identifying opportunities , strategic options , eliminate uncertain demand , creating hedged portfolios , commonalities across the business and product range.

Controlling the supply chain and pricing of the Supermarket duopolies , with a minimum fair farm gate price for the commodity produced. That allows producers to invest more technology and efficiencies into their business enterprise. This will also create more local jobs , industry , and viable communities. Financial engineering for profit at the expense of principle and community has to stop.

Farmers have never been better at producing food products to the high standards as they are now. That product now needs to return more of the financial investment required to sustain growth, expansion, research and development across all sectors of Agriculture, including safe environmental farming, food production systems and solutions. Even the way we trade , needs to be re-looked at. The current Global crisis has highlighted the fragility of food security and food production , logistics , including Government policies. There is much that needs to change to manage a more sustainable secure future to hedge the next crisis. Even when the Global economy returns to any form of normality , there will be challenges. However , challenges create exciting new opportunities and partnerships to collaboratively solve successful outcomes. Experience and knowledge around intelligent solutions will be a highly valued commodity in a Post Virus and Economic Crisis world. Not only in Agriculture and Agribusiness but also across many industries and organisations. We are also in no doubt that another bacterial threat will at some point in time eventuate in the future. Its just a question of how you structure your business strategies and risk to hedge such an event.

The environment and Global discourse , poses many challenges for agriculture and food security in the immediate short term and long term future. The challenges are both enormous and exciting at the same time. We are likely to have two billion more mouths to feed by mid - century. However , sheer population growth is not the only reason we will need more food. As prosperity spreads across the Asia Pacific Region , in particular China and India - including many other countries who are starting to prosper , the agricultural world will need to come together to discuss how we are going plan and manage complex outcomes to secure food production. The global debate over how to address the many challenges has become polarized , pitting conventional farming and global commerce against local communities food systems and organic farming systems.  Very unfortunate , as it does not have to be a polarizing debate. Rather a collaboration of  "ALL" to work together in finding the urgent solutions to foster intelligent long term sustainable farming food security.

Agriculture needs to "Stop and Pause"  , stand back and breath. We can not simply , insatiably keep chopping down forests , clearing land , growing non food crops or using productive farm land for bio-fuels , palm oil - palm sugar , Sandalwood plantations and others like it .  It is insane , to think that growing non food crops on productive land is somehow a great investment and idea , on any level its a waste of resources.  World Governments need to realise we can not continue this path. Conventual Agriculture and Organic food systems should always take precedence over dodgy non agricultural food tax investment schemes.  Agriculture food production systems are a very rewarding , safe secure investment portfolios.  Yes they are not short term , rather they are long term. Agriculture and food production systems are going to be bigger than the mining , resource sector. Any economist who doesn't get that , are simply not seeing the bigger picture. "The World Needs To Eat"  and needs to unite and secure what is fast becoming a Global finite recourse. 

Not one country alone , can solve the enormous challenges that face us in Agriculture and Food security. It will require a big shift in intelligent thinking. We must foster partnerships and investment strategies, collaboratively. Invest into Research and Development into conventional and organic farming systems , plants crops that the world needs , working with soil science,  reduce waist , use resources more efficiently , grow more food on farms we already have, shift diets , halt agriculture's foot-print, reduce water and irrigation usage with irrigation technologies , adapting natural solutions to a natural environment, green energy power technology , agricultural science , IT development and solutions , bringing farming inside and closer to major cities. And the list of solutions goes on.  With agriculture and food security you also lift people out of poverty , which has a net return financial benefit to all counties.

We will also have to re-think where we farm Globally and again , making collaborative investment partnerships into developing a "Global Farming Map".  Looking at regions that are able to sustain certain food crops that do better in that region. There by reducing environmental resources. For example not producing rice or a crop in a dry arid marginal region. That requires an enormous amount of infrastructure and water to sustain that crop. If you look around the Asia Pacific Region for example there are many climatic zones you can develop a variety of food crops and protein crops. You can map these areas already. As the historical environmental data is already available, including the soil types. Northern Australia presents many exciting opportunities and is secured by water. We will also have to re-think the commerce of Agriculture and the export / import of those products. There are many enormous challenges , however there are just as many rewarding solutions. It is just a question of reaching out and walking together for the sake of our children. After all, they are our future and the future of Agriculture and Food Production Systems around the World.

The greatest challenges facing humanity: is producing enough food for a population that could reach 10 billion by 2050 and creating community equity. The World can do without people , but the people cannot do without the planet. Now is the time for change.....

By Mark Withnell - AgrilinX International