By: Manuel Recalde Revuelta, Agricultural Engineer – MBA. Leader of the Corteva Latin American Food Chain.
It is known to all, the enormous challenge that represents the increase in the world population.
Projections show that the world's population will increase from 7.3 billion inhabitants in 2015 to 10.5 billion.
billion by 2050, which means an increase of more than 70 million inhabitants per year, which poses a challenging scenario to ensure global food supply in circumstances where, according to FAO studies, the growth of the surface area available for crops has grown by 91 TP3T between 1965 and 2015, however, food consumption in the same period has grown by 231 TP3T, which puts pressure on the production system to produce more and better food per hectare.
To this complex equation we must add that globalization, communications and social networks
have exposed and accelerated a change in consumer needs for healthier, high-quality foods, low in pesticide residues and produced sustainably. This creates an even greater challenge and dilemma, since, on the one hand, consumers are pushing to limit the use of pesticides and, on the other hand, it has been studied that not using them would generate production losses of around 70% to 80% of production for the main extensive crops worldwide, making it impossible to provide an adequate supply of food for the growing world population.
Where is the answer to this complex equation? Perhaps there is not just one and it is up to a series of people.
actors and variables that are part of the entire food value chain such as: the food industry
inputs for agriculture, farmers, input distributors, food processors,
supermarkets, universities, research centers, agricultural associations and of course, the
consumers themselves.
From an industry perspective, at Corteva our direction is to provide solutions for the
agriculture through an integrated portfolio with a focus on sustainability and the needs of the
food industry. This integrated portfolio includes: modern plant protection products with a high profile
toxicological and environmental friendlier; solutions for efficient nitrogen management; products
biological and natural; digital solutions and technologies applied to high-quality seeds and germplasm.
These solutions allow and will allow modern agriculture to carry out intelligent pest management and
diseases, where an adequate balance between more friendly phytosanitary products together with
products of natural or organic origin, allowing for balanced food production that is appropriate to the needs of consumers.
But as I pointed out earlier, this challenge is not the sole responsibility of the crop protection industry, it is also the responsibility of farmers, who must use the products appropriately for crops and pests or diseases, for which they were made in a manner consistent and unrestricted with the indications contained on the labels, respecting doses, number of applications and waiting periods, among other variables, in order to ensure that any residues that these foods may have are within the legal framework of the maximum residue limits (MRLs) established by health authorities, both locally and at export destinations.
It is also important to buy phytosanitary products from authorized distributors, as well as
It is the responsibility of the latter to try to provide inputs authorized by the agricultural authority, either
stored, with their labels in perfect condition, from reliable and recognized suppliers and
authorized.
However sustainable and eco-toxicologically friendly phytosanitary products may be, they are not
achieves nothing if not used correctly.
This food value chain also requires the commitment of wholesalers, supermarkets and street markets, since it is at this point that consumers obtain the food that will ultimately reach the table. Therefore, it is the responsibility of these businesses to obtain fruit, vegetables and other foods from reliable producers who comply with the regulations of the agricultural and health authorities, apply traceability programs and analysis of residues and bacterial contamination, to ensure that they provide safe food from reliable sources.
Producing in a modern and sustainable way represents an increase in production costs, which would be unfair and unmotivating for producers if wholesalers did not take this into account when making their purchasing decisions.
However, this value chain requires the commitment of more actors, since it is the agricultural and health authorities who must ensure that the proper use of phytosanitary products is monitored, as well as facilitate the conditions for the appropriate and timely registration of modern and effective agricultural solutions, as well as the appropriate and timely establishment of maximum residue limits.
Universities and research centres must provide research and education in line with the new times and farmers' associations must ensure compliance with policies and
appropriate regulations before the authority both at local level and in the field of export. We cannot ignore the responsibility of the media to generate content
truthful that does not generate confusion in the consumer, who generally does not have technical knowledge about the production variables, which is why erroneous ideas or visions can easily be generated when this communication is not done in a prudent and appropriate manner.
Finally, and after a long journey, those fruits, vegetables and different foods will reach the
consumers' table, who must understand that they can not only demand their needs, but must also be aware that they have commitments, such as buying these foods in established and authorized stores, which comply with all current regulations. Otherwise, all the productive efforts involved in modern and sustainable production will be of no use if good practices are broken at the end of the chain.
Producing food in adequate quantity and quality in a sustainable manner is not only a commitment of the
crop protection industry and farmers, but it is a commitment of the entire supply chain.
food from producer to consumer, only then will we achieve a virtuous circle.
