Shaping Agribusiness towards 2050 food goals

Geofencing, NDVI, Blockchain, Drones, Real Time, Traceability, food safety, you name it, are the new words that are shaping Agribusiness value chain worldwide.

Although some are extremely expensive tools for small farmers, newly come Agricultural stakeholders start to play a vital role empowering smallholders farmers thru new tech to meet global markets, from worldwide non-profit NGO`s like Solidaridad Network, Bill & Melinda Gates, C&A Foundation, etc. explore, test and prove new concepts to overcome barriers to sustainable development of small farmers, bringing different alternatives to the one used by global food insecurity institutions as FAO, USAID, etc.

Global food insecurity is a huge problem in developing countries, with around 108 million people in food crisis-affected countries still at risk or experiencing food insecurity, we have seen for more than 20 years now how crop biotechnology adoption in developing countries has contributed to higher yields, more secure production, and increased incomes greatly contributing to decreasing poverty, hunger and malnutrition in some regions of the globe most prone to these challenges.

Reduce the footprint of agriculture, mitigating and adapting to climate change, are another highlights and keywords how new biotech will matter in agriculture reducing greenhouse gas emissions and still making small farmers sustainable

Around the world, it is estimated that there are more than 450 million farms less than two football fields in size. These smallholder farms occupy 70-80% of the total global farmland and produce 80% of the food that is consumed in developing countries, parts of the world where food security and stable income are still inadequate. The responsibility is large, but for smallholder farmers, access to resources, new markets global regulation and agricultural know-how often falls short.

The concept of “farm to fork” relates to the traceability of edible products as they move throughout the food supply chain. Key SCM players including food manufacturers, 3PLs, farmers, distribution centers and retailers must now closely monitor and control food handling and preparation practices and procedures. This helps to guarantee the safety of end consumers.

The process of tracking food throughout the supply chain is much more complex now than ever before due to how far removed consumers are from food sources. In addition to focusing on safety during growth and processing, supply chain operators must also manage food preservation and transportation networks. The food to fork process now places large focus on contamination prevention and maintaining quality standards. Every stage of the food supply chain is highly regulated by government agencies such as the FDA and their newly implemented Food Safety Modernization Act, and International certifiers as TMZ, RFA, RSPO, Fair Trade, and so on.

Identified Agribusinesses must provide written plans that detail their analysis and implementation of food safety preventative measures. Food processing is a critical component of the agricultural value chain because the majority of available food is sourced from a small percentage of the population. Food is preserved and processed to meet consumer demands for freshness, nutrition, convenience and more.

Once food products reach consumers or “the fork” it is their responsibility to further ensure their personal safety through the proper storage and preparation of their purchased items. Many foodborne illnesses are derived from improper handling and preparation at the consumer level, making this just as critical to manage as every other level of the supply chain.

Implemented innovative first of its kind Digital Agriculture projects in traceability, farmers market linkage involving smallholders farmers Worldwide, will be the task to solve incoming years, search for the right cost efficient traceability platform, the road for new Agri startsup toward the 2050 food supply target is just beginning!

To support companies and producers with responsible practices, such as traceability. FGH International Agribusiness Consulting, works in partnership with first class real-time Agribusiness tracking solution, developed by and for sector stakeholders from different supply chains such as sugar cane, palm oil, flowers, coffee, cocoa, beef, etc. also can be deployed in any language, country, region, even with low internet band.

This tool enables producers and processors not only to keep track of performance, but also to set realistic goals and to elaborate improvement plans for each stage of the journey to more sustainable production: close to and beyond certification/verification levels. SourceTrace creates greater visibility of the progress made over time by (non-)certified/verified producers. It allows to roadmap at every stage.

To find out more about our solutions or to share learnings to support suppliers on their journey to excellence, please feel free to contact us, FGH´s International Agribusiness, Latin America's leading Agribusiness Consulting firm