RethinkX | 6 May 2024
This will translate into higher-quality foods that are more are more affordable. There will be direct social and economic benefits, as well as indirect benefits from the reduction of environmental and human health impacts associated with animal agriculture.
In the case of PF and CA, both the technologies and the disruption they cause have the potential to be economic and geopolitical equalizers. This is because there are no major geographic or economic barriers to the food disruption, and the technologies themselves are inherently amenable to decentralization. Poorer regions, nations, cities and local communities can choose to lead the disruption of food (and energy and transportation), leapfrogging over the older, dirtier technologies. Moreover, history shows that established centers of power typically struggle to embrace disruptions, and instead resist them. The incentives and mindsets of their stakeholders and institutions are focused on protecting the status quo from which they benefit.
The economics of modern food technologies are such that the disruption will play out regardless of the actions taken by decision-makers in any single country, but these decision-makers do have the power to speed up or slow down adoption of the new technologies. We believe the opportunities for businesses and investors to create wealth, for consumers to buy cheaper, healthier food, and for policymakers to enable extraordinary economic, health, social and environmental benefits mean each group will embrace these technologies far quicker than the current mainstream narrative suggests. Read more about the choices and planning for these agents of change on p59-63 of our Rethinking Food & Agriculture report.
We are on the cusp of the deepest, fastest, most consequential disruption in food and agricultural production since the first domestication of plants and animals 10,000 years ago. The impact of this disruption will be profound, and affect nations all over the world.
Decision-makers must also recognize there are no geographical barriers to the food and agriculture disruption, so if the U.S. resists or fails to support the modern food industry, other countries such as China will capture the health, wealth and jobs that accrue to those leading the way. Policymakers must, therefore, start planning for the modern food disruption now in order to capture the extraordinary economic, social and environmental benefits it has to offer.
Learn more about the disruption of food & agriculture.
Published on: 12/07/23
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