He was one of 30 NZ agritech delegates attending the Silicon Valley Forum agritech immersion programme last week in San Jose, California, and they found NZ is well placed to respond to the substantial, changing demands.
“There is growing evidence that the abundance of processed foods is the underlying cause of a global obesity epidemic which is also impacting NZ, which is ranked third worst in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development for obesity,” Muller said.
“Combining two of NZ’s leading sectors, agriculture and technology, shows just how we can improve NZ farming, food production and health while also growing our exports.
“We are on the cusp of some massive and exciting tech changes in our lives.”
Meanwhile, Agritech NZ has partnered with a major American company to speed up growth of agritech in NZ.
The partnership with Western Growers will strengthen and accelerate the development of agritech markets in both countries, Agritech NZ executive director Peter Wren-Hilton said from Salinas, California.
Western Growers strategic planning, science and technology senior vice-president Hank Giclas said there are a myriad of issues severely affecting agriculture and the production of food globally.
“Building a two-way bridge for agricultural technology will result in international collaboration where we can create, transfer and share knowledge and experiences about new technologies that can help solve the industry’s most pressing issues.”
The agreement establishes a business relationship focused on providing in-market support for agritech companies in NZ.
It also opens doors for NZ agritech companies to enter the US market via the Western Growers Centre for Innovation and Technology in California and for US agritech start-ups to access the NZ market.
Wren-Hilton said connecting NZ’s agriculture innovation ecosystems will benefit innovators, growers, investors, regulators, researchers and public stakeholders not only in both countries but around the globe.
Western Growers provide a co-working space that offers agritech start-up companies access to training and mentoring, monthly seminars, regularly scheduled events and exclusive events with Western Group members such as specialty crop farmers in Arizona, California, Colorado and New Mexico.
As part of the deal the community Agritech NZ serves will now have access to Western Growers offerings.
The American company will work with Agritech NZ to evaluate opportunities for research and development trials with potential NZ partners during the northern hemisphere off season.
