2016 september hifluence_is the future of agriculture digital

is the future of agriculturedigital ?

Hifluence clinic - September 8th 2016

Copyright Erwin Verstraelen

Who am I….


Houston (do) we have a problem....


Convergence of factors….


We need to produce as much food in the next 40 years as in

the last …..

12.000 years

Convergence of factors….


7 billion people going to…… 9 by 2050

Intake of calories per person will increase

People live longer

Increase in wealth = increase in meat consumption

Result: 35% more people equals 100% more food

A condensed storyline of the history of agriculture….


11.500 years ago - the start

4000 years ago – the plough

16th – 19th century - end of the Malthusian trap

Mid 19th century - start of farmers co-op

1930’s onward - the green revolution

The last 1% of the agricultural time frame

The impact on output….


680 mio tonsHarvest of grains in 1950

2.025 mio tonsHarvest of grains in 1997

Number of piglets per sow per year….


23In 1994

31

In 2013

+34%

Feed conversion in chickens….


1,73In 2006

1,54In 2014

-11%

The elephant in the room….


Overall footprint of agriculture….


70% of water supply consumption

35% of greenhouse gas emissions

80% of deforestation in (sub)tropical regions

38% of all cultivated land used

National Geographic

Water footprint of agriculture...


1.000 litres: 1kg of wheat

3.000 litres: 1kg of rice

3.300 litres: 1kg of eggs

3.900 litres: 1kg of chicken

4.800 litres: 1 kg of pig meat

16.000 litres: 1kg of beef

water footprint….


16.000 litres =

280 showers1.5 years worth of showers

The troublesome relationship between climate change and agriculture...


Biggest drivers of biodiversity decline for 8688 species

Overexploitation: 6241

Agriculture: 5407

Urban development: 3014

Invasion and disease: 2298

Nature: Biodiversity- the ravages of guns, nets and bulldozers

Negative impact of climate change on output….


Potatoes: minus 22-44%

Sugar beets: minus 12-30%

Grass: minus 25%

Soy: minus 25-27%

VITO: Vlaams instituut voor technologie en ontwikkeling: impact without new races or mitigating measures

The importance of a stable food supply….


The importance of a stable food supply….


There is a multidimensional and complex relationship between peace, conflict and food

security. Conflict directly affects food security, while food insecurity has both direct and indirect

effects on sustainable development, and international peace and security

Food and agriculture organisation - UN: Food security, nutrition and peace

We need more from agriculture be we cannot continue with the old approach….


So, an opportunity to fix and rethink the system presents itself….


Multiple approaches in parallel needed...


Reduce waste

Increase output without need to scale

Change eating patterns

New concepts

Reduce waste: Fruits and vegetables...


20% loss during harvest and triage

5.5% loss during processing

7.5% loss during distribution

13% loss during consumption

Reduce waste: Fruits and vegetables...


Food wasted can feed 2 billion people

If ‘food wasted’ would be a country, it would be the 3th biggest greenhouse emitter worldwide

⅓ of all the food gets wasted

Increase output without the need to scale…


Precision farming = f(digital farming)

Enters the room… Precision farming


Precision agriculture (PA) is a farming management concept based

on observing, measuring and responding to inter and intra-field variability in crops.

The holy grail of precision agriculture research will be the ability to define a decision support system for whole farm management with the goal of optimizing returns on inputs while preserving resources.

Technological foundation of precision farming…


Drones

Geospatial data

Machine / Tractor data

Weather data

External reference data

The potential…


Internet of everything in farming…


Change eating patterns...


Amount of land needed for 1000 Kcal of food...


Poultry: 44

Pig: 57

Dairy: 94

Beef: 1557

⅔ of all greenhouse gases from agriculture are from cattle

Alternative sources for protein: plant based such as pulses...


Current global market for soy...


Three countries: 80% of world production

70% genetically modified

EU covers only 9% of its needs locally

Likewise evolution as with corn possible

Alternative sources of protein...


A replacement for traditional beef…


New concepts...


3D printed food

Aqua culture - the blue revolution

Genetically modified crops

Algae

Policy

From rooftop farming to vertical farming...


The challenge is clear… the opportunity as well


2016 september hifluence_is the future of agriculture digital

Food

Transcript of 2016 september hifluence_is the future of agriculture digital