Creating more resilient agricultural ecosystems, facilitating access to financing and providing agribusiness with technology and artificial intelligence that maximize production and minimize costs, were some of the challenges highlighted for the future of the agri-food sector by several experts, present on the first day of the Lisbon Agri Conferences, which runs until Wednesday at the Centro Cultural de Belém, in Lisbon. The arrival of a new paradigm in which the farmer once again gains relevance in the value chain, as well as the impact of demographic changes on the future of crops were highlighted as scenarios to be analyzed at a time when eating habits are also changing and science is presenting us with new ways of producing food, such as precision fermentation.
With a total of 15 speakers on the first day, the opening of the third edition of the Lisbon Agri Conferences featured a message sent by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, read by Luís Folque, one of the organizers of the event, where the President of the Republic reinforced the importance of the sector, especially in a world in conflict, in which “food is used as a weapon of war and an instrument of defense”. “Food security must occupy an important space in the public discussion. The world is unequal, with inadequate food for opposite reasons: with health problems due to excess, in some countries, and scarcity, in the poorest countries. Technology, digital and an adequate public policy response create opportunities for a more modern, sustainable, cohesive and fair society. I hope that a vision for the future emerges from this”, he says.
Moderated by Liliana Carvalho, from SIC Notícias, this Tuesday’s work began with an intervention by Madalena Oliveira e Silva, president of the Agency for Investment and Foreign Trade of Portugal (AICEP). João Moreira Rato, president of the Portuguese Institute of Corporate Governance (IPCG); Manuel Pimentel, editor and founder of Almuzara Libros, Spain; Benjamin Subei, partner at The Boston Consulting Group, Germany; Enrique González, partner at The Boston Consulting Group, Spain; and Ivo Sajanovic, professor of Commodities Agriculturalists at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, were the remaining speakers in the morning.
In the afternoon, interventions were heard from Carlos Blanc, CEO of Citri&Co, Spain; Elliott Grant, Senior Fellow at the University of Cambridge, UK; Imanol Almudí, CEO of Agroponiente, Spain; Juan Martínez Barea, founder and CEO of Savian, Spain and Daniel Ramón, professor at Cardenal Herrara University, Spain. The day ended with a panel debate moderated by Paula Santos, from Expresso, and Rafel Daniel, from the Spanish newspaper El Economista, which included the intervention of António Carmona Rodrigues, president of the Board of Directors of Águas de Portugal (AdP), Pedro Santos, CEO and partner at CONSULAI and Francisco Gomes da Silva, founding partner of AGROGES, Sociedade de Estudos e Projetos.
The Lisbon Agri Conferences runs until November 5th, at the Centro Cultural de Belém, in Lisbon. Discover the main conclusions from the first day.
- João Moreira Rato points to energy dependence as Europe’s first major challenge, followed by the productivity differential in relation to the United States of America and the need to make maximum use of the potential of the single market. “There is still enormous potential, even in services, but, unfortunately, in the European market there is still little desire to facilitate. There is a lot of talk, but little action”, he says.
- The rise in food prices marks, in Manuel Pimentel’s opinion, a paradigm shift with regard to the balance of powers in the value chain, implemented since the beginning of globalization. “Globalization has meant a drop in prices. We had never enjoyed such cheap food. But we are now in a new stage of partial or block deglobalization. There is greater concern about ensuring supply. People are once again concerned about food”, he assures.
- Raising greater investment to be able to have a business of scale that ensures the functioning of the entire chain are other challenges highlighted by Manuel Pimentel.
New approaches to food
- Food waste is still a reality. Investment in the supply chain, the creation of bioproducts, regulation, donations, consumer education are some of the possible solutions highlighted.
- In consumer trends, there is a change in eating habits and an awareness and search for healthy foods that have given rise to interest in different cultures. “Berries and avocados are overtaking other fruit and vegetable crops. There is a unique opportunity”, says Enrique González, warning of the importance of guaranteeing continuous supply throughout the year.
- The analysis of the drop in fertility and birth rates worldwide led Ivo Sajanovic to question the UN’s predictions regarding population growth and to question the estimated need to increase food production by 60% by 2050. The expert states that the population peak will be reached sooner than estimated and that, therefore, this estimate, which is now at 47%, must still be corrected.
New technologies and artificial intelligence
- Climate change and labor shortages are important factors in accelerating the adoption of technologies that minimize the impact of unpredictable weather and lack of labor. “Precision and digitalization are needed to improve what is happening in each hectare. To make better decisions and adopt better practices”, points out Benjamin Subei.
- The future of agriculture in a world strong in artificial intelligence was addressed by Elliott Grant who believes that, within ten years, data collection in the fields will be free; knowledge will become a commodity and practical day-to-day decisions will be made by artificial intelligence agents.
- Daniel Ramón listed several innovative technologies, especially CRISPR technology.[istema de edição genética que usa uma enzima chamada Cas9, semelhante a uma “tesoura molecular”, para cortar o ADN numa sequência específica] which allows, for example, to develop potatoes that are more resistant to diseases and pests, or that produce 85% less acrylamide [contaminante que se forma naturalmente em alimentos ricos em amido, como batatas, pão e cereais] when they are fried.
- Carmona Rodrigues presented the “Water that Unites” strategy, which represents a national commitment to ensure more efficient, resilient and intelligent management of this resource. “Integrated water resources management is difficult to put into practice, it is a challenge that as a collective we have to know how to deal with, it is a challenge on par with climate change”, he says.
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