Friday, March 29, 2024

Focus on the future

Avatar photo
Becoming the solution rather than the problem in farming’s brave new world means tuning the information dial to the news that feeds hope.
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Speaking at E Tipu 2021: the Boma New Zealand Agri Summit, Future Crunch co-founder Tane Hunter says the solution needs to be about stories of solutions not problems.

Hunter was the opening speaker at the two-day summit that heard from some of the brightest leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers in food and fibre business both in NZ and globally, sharing information, expertise and technology focused on delivering a positive impact in a rapidly changing and brave new world in agriculture. 

A transformation to a smart and ethical future will be about re-drawing the boundaries.

“Tune the information dial to give you knowledge that feeds you and gives you hope even the darkest of times,” Hunter said.

“If you want to change stories of the 21st century you have to change the stories that feed you.”

It will be more with less, with new innovative products, new adaptations, new innovations, as we drive into a future that looks nothing like the past.

Climate change will be the biggest opportunity for NZ agriculture since the innovation of refrigerated shipping more than 100 years ago, Lake Hawea Station director and founder of 42Below vodka, Geoff Ross told the audience.

“The tailwind driving it is the unique position for NZ farmers today – business built on a tailwind, built on several hundred millions of dollars in value.

“Climate change is the biggest change to come to us and we have the competitive advantage.

“The tailwind is the rest of the world will want more of our food and fibre.”

Ross cited Lake Hawea Station (LHS), NZ’s first farm to become carbon zero.

“We are proud to say that the carbon profile of LHS is positive, we sequester more carbon and greenhouse gases than we emit.

“At LHS we call this Carbon Clear. In fact, our ultimate goal is to become 10 times positive – to really go into bat for planet earth.”

Across all environment-related activities LHS believes carbon must be the lead.

“Ultimately it is the carbon profile of all of us that will determine the earth’s ability to compete in the fight against climate change.

“The exciting part is what more can we do.

“We plan to be fossil fuel free, we already have a lot of solar in use, we have e-bikes and we hope to be first with an EV tractor.

LHS is investigating trials on sheep and cattle.

“Once I was looking at cocktails, now I’m looking at sheep bums, I can’t believe I’m getting excited about that, but I am,” Ross said.

“We can all go further. What if NZ farmers go on the front foot, attack the opportunity and NZ becomes the world’s first positive climate farm?”

Food Nation co-founder Miranda Burdon says transforming food system for planet, people and profit is about shifting the plants from the side of the plate.

“We don’t need to all turn vegan to make a difference.

“What does the world want – fake meat, soy, or gluten free, lab grown meat? Three options but not my options.

“We can eat our way out of the problem.

“Shift the plants from the side of the plate to the middle of the plate.”

Living in NZ, Burdon says this is a number one solution.

“We have quinoa, buckwheat, hemp, mushrooms to name a few, all grown in Canterbury and all full of protein and nutrition.”

Food Nation was launched mid covid last year with the whole objective being to showcase plant product, not replace meat.

“We need to be showcasing NZ as the garden to the world.     

“People can eat their way to a healthier planet.”

The other driver, Burdon says, is health, which is the number one driver for shift over the environment.

“People over-consume in calories; others are under-consuming.

“We need to look at food fit for the future, stalks and all.”

Total
0
Shares
People are also reading