Farm input sector & sustainability

Sustainable farm input use & biodiversity

Societal pressure on farm inputs is increasing. On the one hand, fertilisers, pesticides and seeds have enormously improved the quality and yields of crop and food production while dealing with pest pressure and other threats on farms. On the other hand, the use of chemical is criticised for its environmental impacts and effects on human health. Seed development also has to deal with the intense debate on GMOs and new breeding techniques, such as CRISPR-Cas.

These trends and the shift towards sustainable agriculture will define your organisation’s portfolio of R&D, sales and marketing activities. Firms are expected to be increasingly involved in societal dialogues with farmers and other stakeholders in order to improve technology and the proper use of both chemical and natural resources.

At the same time, climate change increase extreme weather conditions such as droughts and heavy rains, which affect pest pressure and soil conditions. These provide a clear opportunity for the plant science sector to develop new, resilient farm inputs to face these challenges on farms.

Understand the societal cost-benefits of farm inputs and develop pathways to create a more sustainable mix.

Our robust research, sector knowledge and scalable tools bring you closer to achieving your sustainability goals.

  • Sustainability measuremen

    1. Sustainability measurement

    We compare the economic and sustainability effects of your current farm input strategy with possible alternate strategies, such as new seeds and other farm management adjustments. We take into account different farm production information, for example farm size, yields and residues.

    Examples

  • Defining sustainable market segments

    2. Defining sustainable market segments

    We assess the requirements of sustainable crop production in the long term. By segmentating crop farming areas based on environmental, economic and social data, we define expected changes per segment and farmer needs.

    Examples

    • Wageningen Food Views
  • Policy impact scenarios

    3. Policy impact scenarios

    We translate targets on farm input and land use to impacts at farm, sector, country, EU and global level, as well as on social, economic and environmental level.

    Examples