WANTED: AGRONOMY MEASURES

Akila Wijerathna discusses how stakeholders can benefit if they cooperate

The agriculture sector is seeing a tremendous transformation. There are diverse opportunities and difficulties arising due to shifting global markets, intensifying international rivalry, technological disruption, changing industrial structures, and climate and water-related risks.

Agricultural systems are under increasing pressure to improve their resilience capacities due to more demanding global and environmental constraints. There’s a need to respond to the abrupt changes in resource quality, quantity and availability – particularly during unanticipated ecological situations such as variable weather, pests, plant diseases, volatile market con­ditions and fluctuating commodity prices.

So agriculture stakeholders require integrated solutions to enable knowledge management, collaborative ICT solutions, and risk and regulation management.

Multiple factors of unpredictability affect agro-food supply networks. If these aren’t properly managed, they can nega­tively impact the performance of the supply chain, its customers and the environment.

Therefore, collaboration is recommended as a potential strategy to lessen this effect. This makes it possible to address several constraints including low crop yield, inadequate market access, environmental degradation and social inequality.

Nations must have a greater grasp of restrictions and opportunities to implement more productive, efficient and sustainable agricultural practices on a considerable scale. In addition, they must build marketplaces, value chains, and supporting institutions and policies.

A shared vision for the future of an agricultural innovation system, which generates opportunities for a thriving agricultural economy, should be developed through a consultative process by key stakeholders.

Detailed R&D and extension paths are required to improve productivity and growth. Policy makers and researchers must listen to what stakeholders involved in the many components of the agricultural inno­vation system have to say.

Through collaboration, it’s possible to accelerate the commercialisation of products, increase private and foreign investment in the country’s research and ‘AgTech’ development, and optimise investment in rural research and development – so that these are focussed on activities that will maximise productivity.

This will ensure long-term prosperity for the agriculture sector, enhance teamwork and reduce inefficiency.

To keep farmers competitive and profitable, an unparalleled rate of product development is required. However, R&D may include financial risks; and with industry concentration, businesses will need to invest more in commercialisation than research.

This makes it difficult and costly for businesses to sustain independently competitive research initiatives. However, engagement with research consortia will enable businesses to face these challenges successfully.

Collaborative systems produce robust crops with genes and features that enable them to grow despite pests, diseases and extreme weather conditions.

In addition, research focusses on improving crop diversity and generating more nutritious food. As a result, agriculture is well served by highly regarded academics and innovators who try to make the sector more profitable and sustainable despite many obstacles.

Farmers and academics confront particular difficulties when participating in agricultural systems research, and project leaders should be prepared to address these issues. It’s imperative that scientists participate in official research even if other stakeholders don’t.

It’s difficult to link research to nonacademic stakeholders’ interests and engagement. They may be incentivised to attend project meetings if they’re reimbursed for their travel and time. Farmers and scientists are busy, and may not attend meetings if they don’t see results.

Therefore, use meeting time wisely. They need to know why researchers seek their participation in a conference and what is expected of them.

When time is short, representative scientists and farmers can gather with research teams. This works well for fine-tuning group initiatives or daily management decisions but it doesn’t replace the groups’ procedure. Conference calls and webinars are also options.

Profits in agro-food supply chains (AFSC) are contingent on product quality. Consumers want a minimum level of quality from produce and are willing to pay a premium for them.

Problems emerge when farmers are unable to harvest produce that meets the required quality criteria. They are then required to discard crops that do not fulfil quality criteria, and this affects the sales of exceptional items and the revenue of the entire AFSC.

Collaboration can help increase the harvest of high quality produce; and modern retailers can fund small farmers to enhance their knowledge of farming techniques, as well as fruit and vegetable production technology.