Arama Kukutai on the Future of Ag Sustainability
In a recent article in Venture Beat, Finistere Partner Arama Kukutai highlights the role of innovation in Ag and Food to sustainably feed the planet. From the article:
Can we feed the world without burning it down? The world’s agri-food greenhouse gas footprint has reached unprecedented levels. And with the global population set to surge to 10 billion by 2050, that footprint is on track to more than triple based on today’s agricultural practices. Further, agriculture (including animal husbandry) is responsible for 70 percent of human water withdrawals, 78 percent of water pollution, and 83 percent of land deforestation.
We simply can’t feed 10 billion people without destroying the planet if our agriculture industry does not dramatically change. It is time to shift the conversation from the problems to the solutions. While investment in agri-food innovation and more sustainable farming practices has climbed to nearly $5 billion in the last five years, it still lags substantially behind cleantech. A number of key agri-food technology innovations deserve more attention and significantly more funding. Let’s take a closer look at them.