Why Agtech Deserves The Same Attention As A Billionaire Space Race

For a few fleeting minutes each, a pair of billionaire earthlings were able to leave the problems of Earth behind. The smoke and fire from their rockets launched them just beyond the entrance to space, where the panorama of an imperfect world stretched out below.

“To the next generation of dreamers — if we can do this, just imagine what you can do,” said Virgin CEO Richard Branson, before unclipping his seatbelt and floating from his chair.

Here on the ground below, I couldn’t help but be impressed by their accomplishments. I know many people have been critical of the so-called billionaire space race, but I’ll admit — I am a longtime Richard Branson fan. And despite all the criticism of this mission, it is truly inspiring to see what humans can achieve when they are willing to take tremendous risks and throw huge amounts of money behind a problem.?

If we can tackle private space travel, imagine what we could do for one of the most crucial problems here on Earth. I’m talking about food production. We could localize supply chains all over the planet — taking a bite out of world hunger and solving massive sustainability problems to combat climate change.?

Sure, space is cool, but here’s why I hope the next generation of dreamers focus on how to future-proof the way we farm.

We can’t keep eating this way

First of all, it’s a problem that affects us all. There is no industry in the world that touches more people in perpetuity than agriculture, and the pressures are only intensifying as the population grows. By 2050, we’ll share the planet with 10 billion people while arable land continues to decline due to urbanization and industrialization. Simply put, the way we feed the world is not sustainable.?

It’s also not equitable. An estimated 811 million people did not have adequate access to food in 2020. That’s nearly 10% of the global population in need of dire help, while obesity rates have soared in parts of the world where food is in excess. To make matters worse, privileged countries have appalling amounts of food going in the trash after travelling thousands of kilometres to reach its destination.

Lastly, it’s unstable. Last year’s hunger stats represent a dramatic increase from the previous year, and is due in part to volatility in supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many countries depend on imports to survive and their supply of food can be dashed by disease, natural disasters, or conflict. By 2050, more than half the world’s population will rely on food sourced outside their country. As climate change becomes a climate crisis, these problems are only expected to get worse.

Technology will help feed the world

What if we put a concerted effort into localizing food production all around the world, while drastically reducing the amount of land, water and chemicals needed? We could cut down on imported food waste in areas of excess, and eliminate shortages in areas of need.?

The good news is that there are some big dreamers working to solve these problems, and there’s tremendous upside for everyone involved.?

Here’s why people like Branson, Bezos and Musk should be paying attention.

First, technology is changing the way people have farmed for generations. In Canada, for example, 80% of farmers under the age of 40 are using technology to find efficiencies and improve sustainability. Farmers are shattering the old-school perception of their industry by adopting incredible technologies like artificial intelligence and machine learning to maximize efficiencies. From self-driving tractors to crop-monitoring drones and automated indoor growing modules, agriculture has become as much sci-fi as it ever was old western.

This technology isn’t just futuristic. It’s all in use right now, thanks to major advancements in recent years. The agtech industry is booming with more than $5 billion in investment in 2020, and the total from this year will likely be even higher. There’s still a prevailing feeling within the industry, however, that it hasn't reached a pinnacle yet.

But rest assured, it’s coming. Investment in green funds went through the roof during the pandemic as people began asking themselves how they can use their money to do some good. Factor in the rise of Gen Z users on platforms like Wealthsimple and their generational drive to effect change through impact investing, and the future of sustainable industries is looking bright. As the CEO of an agtech company, I’m regularly hearing from new investors who feel good about investing whatever they can — even as little as $20 — to help the cause.

While it’s truly amazing to see what can be accomplished in outer space, most people don’t have the luxury of looking that far for obstacles to conquer. We’ve been through a dramatic period in human history — sickness, heatwaves, fires and floods. It’s all leading to significant momentum in the agricultural technology world and we’re hearing about new breakthroughs on the regular. The dreamers that will revolutionize farming might not be named Richard, Jeff or Elon … but fellas, if you’re reading this, don’t hesitate to give me a call.

This article was originally featured in Entrepreneur.?Keep up with my latest articles by following me here or on?Twitter.