How can we increase agricultural output to feed a growing global population while simultaneously reducing its environmental impact? In our current climate-conscious environment, this profound question faced by the agricultural sector is one that requires closer attention. Recently, Devon Long, General Manager for Asia Pacific at Regrow AG, delivered a thought-provoking address on this very issue at the Impact X Summit, offering a roadmap for what she calls “resilient agriculture.”

Long began her talk by painting a stark picture of the current state of the agriculture industry, describing how the sector is coming under scrutiny for its environmental footprint. “When you go to a shopping center, most food and clothing items you buy have their most significant component of emissions happening on the farm,” Long explained, highlighting the pressure on supply chains to decarbonize.

Yet, the irony of this situation isn’t lost on Long or the industry at large. “At the same time, we can’t reduce our agriculture. We actually need more agriculture – a lot more, in fact – if we want to feed our growing population,” she said. This dichotomy, as Long sees it, creates a tension that feels “really irreconcilable for many of our farmers and our food businesses.”

Read the full story in the October 2024 issue of Impact Leadership magazine.