As part of addressing how we will produce more crops and food, we have to consider where we can produce it. Agricultural self-sufficiency is not an option for most of the world. In fact, some of the fastest growing regions have the most limited agricultural capacity and the least rainfall. Forty-four percent of the world’s population – including parts of India and China – live in areas of water stress, and many other people live in regions – such as the Middle East and North Africa – with poor or degraded soils, or limited arable land. All of these societies will rely on trade with large producing regions, including the Americas, Eastern Europe and, increasingly, Africa, to meet their food needs (Figure 2). This will necessitate extending farm-to-market linkages around the world in a seamless fashion. It will require extensive investments in agricultural storage, market facilities and basic processing – up to $50 billion a year in the developing world alone – according to the FAO.
Clearly, there is a gap between where we are as a global society and where we will need to be. Companies like Bunge, which can meet a global challenge with a global enterprise, can help to bridge this gap. We believe that three key characteristics will help us succeed: