Latest Trends Driving Change: Transforming Food and Agriculture

Trends impacting food and agriculture: tech for resilient supply chains, regenerative agriculture and big data, precision farming

FREMONT, CA: Several trends are currently shaking up the food and agriculture industry. These trends are indicative of a shift towards more sustainable and environmentally conscious food production, as well as a growing interest in healthier and more ethical food choices.

Trend 1 - The Growing Importance of a Connected Supply Chain and How Blockchain Helps

Western countries will experience food shortages due to supply chain disruptions in the future. However, it is also important to note that a significant amount of food is lost or wasted daily, including produce, harvests, and processed food. Approximately 33 to 40 per cent of the world’s food is wasted each year.

Why Blockchain Is the Go-to Technology to Prevent Waste

Connecting each link in the global supply chain through technology and enabling them to share data on their part of the chain can help companies prepare better for disruptions such as the current energy crisis. This is because they would have access to a comprehensive overview of the entire end-to-end chain, not just insights from their operation. By analysing data from the entire ecosystem they are a part of, companies can take a more holistic approach to decision-making, which can help them better anticipate and respond to potential issues.

Complicating Factors in the Agricultural Chain

Using blockchain as a solution for a connected and flexible supply chain as well as a tool to reduce food waste is more complex than initially anticipated. This is because food loss or waste is not limited to production environments, supermarkets, or restaurants, and the reasons for the loss in agriculture are not always due to the bullwhip effect.

Trend 2: The Use of Big Data to Boost Agricultural Yields in a Sustainable Way

Although it is a great start to reducing food loss and waste by examining and improving processes in the supply chain, it is important to consider a larger perspective. The utilisation of big data to tackle food waste from the very beginning of the agricultural supply chain, starting with the soil. The quality of the soil is crucial to produce a high-quality harvest with minimal waste, and it is also significant for businesses as it can lead to better agricultural yields and profits.

Why Regenerative Agriculture and Big Data Are a Match Made in Heaven

One solution to combat food waste is regenerative agriculture, which is a sustainable and natural approach to soil management. However, big data and IoT are also critical components to make the process even more effective. By utilising field insights, agricultural businesses can prevent the loss of produce during harvest and increase profits. It is an opportunity that should be taken advantage of by using technology to obtain insights directly from the source and implement a field management process that can truly make a positive impact on the global agricultural supply chain.

Trend 3: Precision Farming to Cope with the Depletion of Our Natural Resources

Precision farming is a method that involves taking the suited cultivation measures at the right moment and location in a field using sensors and IoT technology.  This approach aims to achieve high-quality crop yields while preventing the waste of natural resources such as water and fertilisers and avoiding overworking the soil. This aligns with the fourth trend of sustainability, as precision farming is an effective way to meet sustainability goals by conserving natural resources and improving air and soil quality.

Trend 4: Sustainability – There Is No Escaping this Trend

As organisations were focused on sustainability and wanted to assure their customers that their product was sustainably sourced, they found a solution by using blockchain technology to store the entire lifecycle of their product, allowing for complete traceability. This information was then made available to their customers, providing them with confidence that the product was sustainably sourced. With increasing global demand for food, it is essential to find ways to produce crops and raise livestock that are environmentally responsible, socially equitable, and economically viable over the long term.

The food and agriculture industry is being impacted by several trends. Technologies, such as blockchain and big data, are being used to create a more connected and resilient supply chain, which can reduce food waste and improve profits. Regenerative agriculture, combined with big data and IoT, can ensure that soil is healthy and productive, leading to better quality harvests with less waste. Precision farming involves taking the right cultivation measures at the right time and place to prevent waste and improve sustainability. By embracing these trends, food and agriculture companies can make strides towards a more sustainable and efficient future.

Agricultural sustainability and blockchain technology are two powerful forces that can be integrated to create a more efficient, transparent, and resilient food system. Blockchain technology can provide a secure, decentralised platform for tracking and verifying agricultural products and practices throughout the supply chain, from farm to table. Blockchain technology can help to reduce food fraud by providing a secure, tamper-proof record of every transaction in the supply chain. This can help to ensure that products are labelled accurately and that consumers are getting what they pay for.