Agrotechnology

Hey â??Agâ? whatâ??s your pension plans?

10^th International Conference on AGRICULTURE & HORTICULTURE

October 02-04, 2017 London, UK

Raghavan Sampathkumar

Food & Agribusiness Consultant, Singapore

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Agrotechnology

Abstract:

Globally, agriculture sector has undergone tremendous transformation in the last few decades. Our generation is facing some of the challenges unlike none of our predecessors. Owing to sustained increase in per-capita incomes enhancing life-expectancy, developed countries are ageing faster that nearly a third or more of their population is aged 50 and above. But, the developing world is endowed with a relatively larger share of young people. Perhaps, this �??work-force�?? macro crisis affects all the industries globally. Current median age of farmers from New Zealand to Alaska is between 50 and 60 years or even more in countries like Japan. With exceptions in Asia and Africa, this is a visible global macro trend and is definitely a matter of concern for the humanity. Instead of succession or transition plan, the word �??pension plan�?? is chosen as the title since relates readily to old age and subtly but strongly emphasizes ageing farmers. Hence the question �??if the global food & agriculture industry were a person, what are (or should be) his/her pension plans?�?� To feed 9 billion people with adequate quantities of safe, nutritious and quality food by 2050, the world needs to produce nearly 60 percent more food. Technological innovations and scientific advancements are helping the industry but shortage of talent and skills has emerged a serious issue. Whether agribusiness is one of the top career paths for the youngsters needs to be examined deeply to ensure the industry continues to attract and retains best creative minds and skilled hands to feed us in future. Apart from improving overall perception on the agri-food industry among youth, it also is necessary to address gender equality appropriately. This paper is about analyzing the current situation and identifying key issues that need to be addressed in this regard. Also it elicits the crucial roles of different stakeholders including governments, policymakers, private sector and civil societies to collaborate in nurturing young talents.