Feeding the World, One Cucumber at a Time

12/12/2017

A few weeks ago, I watched a slightly disturbing programme about tacos made with crickets. This practice is apparently becoming quite mainstream, as crickets provide a high source of protein and its consumption has less impact on the environment compared with traditional livestock. Whilst I won’t be lining up for a cricket filled taco anytime soon, I did think that change in our world is inevitable and we need to be open-minded about what comes our way. Our food industry depends on it.

This was the topic behind the Feed the World 2030 Power of Plants Hackathon last weekend in Christchurch, which brought together a melting pot of visionary thinkers, business people, and scientists to discuss the future of a topic dear to many of our hearts – food and its future.

Our very own Tim King went along to partake at the Hackathon to discover the scientific advances being made by companies that recognise that plant-based resources could hold the key to some of our current and very real food challenges.

Food shortages due to growing populations and shrinking land mass are going to affect what New Zealand can produce and export, so there will be less to go around and this will drive prices up for us, the consumer. Our precious environment is also being drained; we simply can’t keep going the way we are.

The biggest reality check for Tim from the two-day event is that change is inevitable and coming at us faster than we can imagine. Most of the attendees at the Hackathon were ambitious with their thinking, and we all need to be when it comes to this ubiquitous issue. The opinions of everyone - from young change makers focused on the environmental impacts to seasoned CEO’s focused on the bottom line - were varied and polarising. It is time to think big.

From plant-based protein to genetically modifying rye grass to reduce nitrogen leaching, the implications are far-reaching and impactful in many ways. Where does NZ invest in technology? Is it going to be healthy for human consumption? Is it contributing to climate change? Is it going to cripple our economy’s lifeblood? These are some big questions and some answers are still unknown. It’s the debate of passionate greenies versus traditional farmers blending together ethics, economics and environmentalism.

This is a hot topic both globally and locally as our nation’s resources are getting depleted further and the demand for fresh produce is set to keep rising. Most of us take for granted the bountiful and fresh food available in our local supermarket or farmers market, which sadly could be under threat.

According to Plant and Food Research, New Zealand has aspirations to remain a key player in this market as the horticulture industry aims to increase its total production from $6 billion (in 2011) to $10 billion by 2020. 60% of what New Zealand grows is exported and population growth is sending demand upwards, so to stay competitive something’s got to give. And that something is adopting technology to remain a market leader.

It is becoming evidently clear that we need all the solutions in our arsenal to cope with the challenges the ever-evolving primary industries bring; there is no silver bullet. This means digitising where we can, and using technology to streamline processes to make those transformational leaps in an industry that will need to keep up with the constant challenges thrown at it. The question in our minds becomes how can we help producers in this industry do what they do better? After all, our children and grandchildren’s futures depend on it.

We know that the agriculture industry is becoming tech-savvy; robots to pick apples and drones to spray crops are the new reality; the trends are there; the industry is evolving.

At Cucumber, we realise that this industry is on the cusp of real change and would love to take the conversation further. Whether it’s a business transformation workshop to help future-proof your organisation, or an innovation lab to come up with new technology to solve an old problem, we have the expertise to break some of this complex stuff down. So, speak to us, we’d love to help be part of the solution. 

Written by Guest Blogger