INTERVIEW: Innovation at the core of the future of farming

Q&A with Liam Condon, head of Bayer’s Crop Science division and management board member, Bayer AG, to reflect on last week’s Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture

Liam, you were a keynote speaker at last week’s Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture (GFIA) in Utrecht on the topic of “Visionaries shaping the future agriculture innovation landscape.” What excites you most about the future of farming?

Liam Condon: We are in the midst of the fourth industrial revolution and I’m most excited about the major advances we are seeing in science. The reality is clear: new technologies must be developed so farmers can become even more efficient and more sustainable on their current farms, to meet the demands of a growing global population. New technologies and breakthrough innovations will revolutionize farming and ensure customized solutions for growers, large and small, so that they can produce more food with less land and fewer resources. These possibilities excite us as a company, as we do our very best to work alongside farmers across the globe to truly shape the future of farming.

 “By 2050, the world’s population is expected to increase to almost 10 billion. That’s more than two-and-a-half billion additional mouths we need to feed.”

We hear often about the challenges posed to agriculture by the growing world population, or by climate change, for example. To what extent do you think agriculture needs to change to face these challenges over the next decade?

Liam Condon: By 2050, the world’s population is expected to increase to almost 10 billion. That’s more than two-and-a-half billion additional mouths we need to feed. This colossal growth in people, combined with a lack of arable land and water shortages, means that food production will have to increase by 50 percent. At the same time, we know that climate change will place food crop yields under unprecedented pressure in the years to come. A fundamental transformation of today’s global food system is required, with innovation, visionary thinking and collaboration at the core. Investment in sound science, and the acceptance and use of innovative technologies will drive the changes we need to ensure resource-efficient, nutrient-dense food for all in the years to come.

Can you give us some examples of the kinds of innovations you mention, and how they will change the future of farming?

Liam Condon: The GFIA showed that agricultural innovation takes many forms. We know that breakthrough innovation will come from our ability to harness and bring together new developments in biological, chemical and data sciences. At the same time, new players and start-ups are bringing fresh and innovative thinking to the industry that will help deliver powerful new tools to growers, big and small. From sensors to field robots and smart irrigation systems, digital technology is allowing farmers to take advantage of the rich sources of data at their fingertips to boost profits and make agriculture more sustainable. We know that the project Internet for Food and Farm 2020 will pave the way for data-driven farming, autonomous operations, virtual food chains and personalized nutrition for European citizens. In this context, we support the European Commission’s approach to set common standards for data transmission and machine connectivity, and to accelerate the adoption of digital technologies to improve farm efficiency and sustainability.

“A fundamental transformation of today’s global food system is required, with innovation, visionary thinking and collaboration at the core.”

Genome-editing technology is another example that is likely to deliver breakthroughs in plant breeding and will significantly improve the scale and discovery efficiency of new research that will advance global agriculture and, ultimately, result in more safe, nutritious and affordable food for consumers all over the world, produced in a more environmentally sustainable manner.