Changing the Tune for Farmers

We are in the midst of ever-more pressing food and climate challenges, and at the heart of it all is agriculture. Unfortunately though, the current atmosphere in our sector is like a battleground. The farmers' protests across Europe are charged and divisive. This happens when significant changes - such as those embodied in the Farm to Fork Strategy of the EU Green Deal - are poorly introduced or managed, which leads to fears of 'winners and losers' and concerns over the trade offs and sacrifices required for implementation.

The issue of farmers feeling left behind isn't contained to Europe - similar protests that have happened in recent years in places like India and Brazil, and ripple effects are being felt across the Atlantic. We know what eventually happens when discord like this goes unchecked: think coal mining and Trump.

Now, bear with me for this (unconventional) train of thought: at a leadership retreat I attended last weekend, I found myself in an environment where the music being played was quite heavy and amplified a challenging personal experience I was having. When I stepped into a different space where a more uplifting song was on, my entire mood and mindset shifted. This moment of transition was so powerful, that it caused me to think about whether there was a deeper message contained within it: e.g. can we 'change the music' when it comes to our work on climate change and agriculture?

The Farm to Fork Strategy feels like that heavy song. Despite its bold vision and ambition, it has been rolled out during a time of inflation, war, and polarization. The environmental commitments it contains require farmers to make significant changes to how they work - from reducing their carbon footprints to adopting more sustainable practices. These are exactly the types of goals we need, but in the absence of clear funding and a transition plan, farmers are left feeling alienated. They fear we are taking away their productivity and competitiveness.

We all may be listening to the same song, but we are having very different experiences.

The thing is: we are all on the same side. We all want better lives and economic and environmental futures. But all too often, we haven't given farmers a seat at the table when important conversations and decisions are being made that will impact them. Many of us who have the best intentions of transforming food systems and solving the climate crisis forget to put ourselves in the position of the people affected by our work. We don't consider enough how what we are saying and what we are doing might be received by others.

There's another, more uplifting song we can play for our farmers: that the changes will drive sustainable innovation and will bring about massive economic and livelihoods benefits. This tune isn't focusing on climate doom and gloom or on restrictions and constraints. It' about about opportunity and innovation and prosperity. It's about a commitment to making their lives better, with their needs and realities in mind. This approach is encapsulated in the mantra: "WTF - Where's The Farmer?" (I even made the T shirt).

Here's some ideas of steps various players can take to change the music:

• Input Companies: You have many of the sustainable solutions like biologicals in your hands, ready to go. Instead of spending your resources on defending the status quo and keeping old products in use because 'that's what farmers want,' reframe your business cases and take some of the money you spend on lobbying and PR to meaningfully invest in startups and innovation. Use your money and power to bring farmers - and all of us - into the future.
• CPGs: Forge real and genuine bonds with farmers. Position them at the heart of your business strategies and marketing narratives. Leverage your influence to illuminate their stories, helping consumers understand all that it takes to bring food from farm to table. Remember, farmers aren't just your suppliers; they're also consumers. They are your audience and allies in sustainability.
• Regulators: Green-light progress by approving game-changing innovations like gene editing. Don't ask for sustainability, then block the very tools needed to achieve it. Regulation should be a launchpad for agricultural advancement, not a barrier.
• Climate Change Innovators and AgriFoodTech Entrepreneurs: Keep the farmer front and center in your innovation equation. If a solution you're developing poses challenges for farmers or will somehow affect their livelihoods, think outside the box to make it inclusive of them. Invite them to your advisory board, talk to them. If you need ideas and examples of how to do this, be sure to check out my book "The Change-Makers Guide to Feeding the Planet" (www.christinergould.com)

The only constant in today's world is change, and we all have a role to make this change as inclusive and collaborative as possible. Through actions like building bridges and thinking about others, I believe we can find a more uplifting song that harmonizes between the needs and expectations of farmers, innovation, and the planet. We can do better.