INGENIEUR
What Others Say About Agriculture Technology
By Samniang Saenram
REPORT
Innovation with a Purpose : The role of technology innovation in accelerating food systems transformation ( Source : World Economic Forum )
Technology innovation for food systems are emerging opportunities . Emerging technologies driven by the Fourth Industrial Revolution are disrupting many industries , bringing rapid and large-scale change . These include :
● Digital building blocks such as big data , the Internet of Things ( IoT ), artificial intelligence and machine learning and block chain ;
● New physical systems such as autonomous vehicles , advanced robotics , additive manufacturing , advanced materials and nanotechnologies ; and
● Advances in science such as nextgeneration biotechnologies and genomics , and new energy technologies .
Until now , the food and agriculture sectors have been slow to harness the power of these technologies , attracting significantly lower levels of investment and inspiring fewer technology start-ups than other sectors . Our research revealed USD14 billion in investments in 1,000 food systems-focused start-ups since 2010 , while healthcare attracted USD145 billion in investment in 18,000 start-ups during the same time period .
‘ Transformative Twelve ’: Innovations with much potential in food systems We identified 12 technology applications that illustrate the potential of emerging opportunities in food systems , including improving consumer nutrition , increasing supply chain efficiency and transparency , and boosting farmer productivity and profitability . While many are in the early stages , the ‘ Transformative Twelve ’ technologies could deliver significant positive impacts in food systems by 2030 .
A Vision for Transformation To feed almost 10 billion people by 2050 , while meeting the Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs ), food systems will need to be : a . Inclusive – ensuring economic and social inclusion for all food systems actors including smallholder farms , women and youth ; b . Sustainable – minimising negative environmental impacts , conserving scarce natural resources , saving biodiversity loss and strengthening resiliency against future shocks ; c . Efficient – producing adequate quantities of nutritious and healthy foods for global needs while minimising loss and waste ; and d . Nutritious and healthy – providing and promoting the consumption of diverse nutritious and safe foods for a healthy diet .
Achieving this vision requires considering the environmental , economic , and health-related dimensions of food systems . It requires continued investments in crop improvement technologies , management practices , policy and governance , business model innovation and other strategies that have been proven over the last decade . And it requires substantial innovation and departures from the status quo .
Fourth Industrial Revolution Technologies Technologies are transforming the world around us . Improvements in the performance and cost of computing power , storage and bandwidth have led to the growth of digital technologies . Together , with advances in science and technologies that are altering the physical world , Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies are driving
62 VOL 84 OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2020