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The last panel of the III Business Summit of the Americas focused on the agro-industrial sector: the changes and challenges that this industry is already presenting and that will surely increase over the next few years; if they do not take the appropriate measures to manage their growth and improve their performance.

"I would like to point out in this debate that if one invests one dollar in climate smart agriculture, one will recover four dollars of that investment, which underscores the need for the region to invest in the agricultural sector efficiently," said Sally Yearwood, executive director of the Caribbean-Central American Action, emphasizing one of the factors that has been changing the sector: climate change.

What is coming

Marie Haga, executive director of The Crop Trust, stressed that politicians and decision makers in the business really "must take into account how dramatic the challenge facing agriculture" is, one never seen before.

This, he remarked, is due to population growth in addition to climate change; and this is reflected in the production of food globally.

"If we look at food production from one perspective, the basic problem is that climate change is much faster than the plans that can be adopted, we have tried to solve the problem using more land, water, pesticide, fertilizer and that is not We have to find other ways and adopt other plans, "added the executive.

In this line, he highlighted how the diversity of crops present opportunities to, in the future, develop plants that resist higher temperatures, pests and salinity in the soil.

"We are in Peru, where we have 4,500 potato varieties, we have to be sensitive to save what is there and put this to the maximum," he said.

For his part, Gustavo Grobocopatel, president of Grupo Los Grobo, highlighted the role of biodiversity for the agro-industrial sector in the future, which is increasing in laboratories, as well as biotechnology, which allows to create more diversity and improve plants.

"We must have a science-based and balanced opinion based on a more systemic approach ... We recommend that States take an active part in regulating and controlling reforestation processes, but luckily there are more restrictions on the use of agrochemicals. raising the rod and increasing controls and restriction is a good way for an agriculture more harmonious with nature, "said the expert.

He also stressed that something that should not be left aside both the industry and companies in general is that people want to eat as cheap as possible. "There is a need for cheap food provision, we should not think things out of the more complex system, thanks to this production system there are more poor people who are eating better," he said.

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Published by: www.elcomercio.pe (Perú)
Automatic translation from spanish.