Innovation essential ingredient to steer food, agriculture companies towards growth

Global food & agribusiness (F&A) faces a remarkable conundrum. Right now the sector is struggling in an operating environment characterized by slow growth, soft demand and ample supply, which in combination are challenging business confidence. Yet the sector has a bright future. Over the longer term, growth in global F&A will be strong, driven by a powerful combination of population expansion, rising wealth and urbanisation. So how can global F&A navigate its way through the sluggish operating environment it finds itself in towards the stronger growth that lies ahead? How can it find new ways to profit through the current uncertainties while positioning and preparing for future opportunities?

In its 2014 flagship report “Unleashing The Potential For Global F&A - A Call For Innovation And Leadership”, Rabobank argues that a stronger focus on innovation can provide the all-important bridge between the near-term challenges and the longer-term opportunities for global F&A. Innovation can and should help global F&A to do more with less—that is, increase food availability and improve access while stepping more lightly on the planet.
Details

To demonstrate both what is needed and what is possible, Rabobank has developed ten big ideas in global F&A aimed at boosting global food availability and improving access to food over the next decade. However, while innovation may be the key ingredient, leadership will be the single most important tool in overcoming these difficulties and putting these big ideas into practice.

“This leadership will come from CEOs of global and local F&A companies, from investors in global F&A, from scientists with the ability to promote new and improved technologies and practices, from government experts, from NGOs, from international networks, and from international commercial and institutional banks. Where these leaders sit is not what sets them apart - it is their vision, the way they drive the case for change and their ability to inspire action that differentiates them.” says Wiebe Draijer, Rabobank Executive Board Chairman.

Please click here to view the full report.

For other information:
Roelina Bolding
Rabobank
Tel: +31 30 21 66979
Email: R.Bolding@rn.rabobank.nl
www.rabobank.com/f&a