In the near future, we will face the monumental challenge of feeding a global population expected to reach 10 billion by 2050. This challenge places us at a crucial crossroads where innovation, balance with nature, human health and efficiency must converge to find sustainable solutions that ensure the well-being of the population and the preservation of our planet.
Dariush Mozaffarian, Dean of the Tufts University School of Food and Nutrition
The convergence of energy, climate and water crises calls for immediate and coordinated action. The answer lies in redefining our food production systems and integrating innovative and environmentally friendly agricultural practices.
Sustainability emerges as a fundamental pillar, demanding a fundamental review of how we grow, distribute and consume our food. The introduction of advanced technologies in agriculture (Agritech) and food (Foodtech) presents a promising path towards optimising food production while ensuring the conservation of our natural resources.
This scenario drives us to explore new horizons in agriculture and food, highlighting the importance of prudent water management, the adoption of regenerative agricultural practices and the exploration of alternative sources of protein. The need for global collaboration is evident, requiring governments, business, academia, entrepreneurs, civil society and farmers to come together to implement innovative solutions to address current and future challenges.
We face an opportunity to transform our food systems to be able to feed a growing population in a way that respects the limits of our planet, promotes the health and well-being of all people and ensures sustainability for future generations.
The challenge is to meet today’s food needs without compromising the capacity of future generations, and to consider the interaction between agriculture and its economic, environmental and social impact. Sustainability and economics are closely intertwined in this context, leading to a profound redefinition of the global agricultural and food systems.
The integration of sustainability into agricultural finance is increasingly recognised as an essential strategy to promote a circular economy in agriculture. This approach addresses environmental concerns and offers new economic opportunities, redefining supply chains and food production in a constantly evolving market. Fluctuations in global demand and changing consumption patterns are driving a significant transformation in the way food is grown, distributed and consumed.
Ivo Sarjanovic , Non-Executive Member of the Board of Directors, Professor of Agricultural Commodities and Venture Capital Investor in Agricultural Technology (VC AgTech)
Regenerative agriculture is emerging as a response to intensive farming methods, offering a path towards more environmentally friendly practices. This approach focuses on improving soil health, increasing biodiversity and reducing reliance on chemical inputs, which in turn can improve the resilience of agricultural systems to climate change and other environmental challenges.
In parallel, innovation in alternative protein production, such as lab-grown meat and plant-based proteins, presents more sustainable and ethical options. These alternatives offer a solution to the problems associated with conventional animal agriculture, such as deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions, and also promise to significantly reduce land use and water consumption.
The transformation of deserts into farming areas, especially through the cultivation of microalgae, is another notable development. This approach provides nutrient-rich food and acts as a carbon sink, contributing to climate change mitigation.
Efficient water management, through advanced desalination technologies, recycling and precision irrigation techniques, is crucial to maximise the use of this vital resource. Technology plays a transformative role, with artificial intelligence and big data improving pest management, crop resilience and food preservation, increasing efficiency and productivity while decreasing the carbon footprint.
Experts such as Roberto Ridolfi and Gonzalo Delacámara emphasise the need to shift economic theory and financial systems towards a model that integrates the concept of “natural capital”. This approach proposes an economy that recognises and values the importance of environmental sustainability in parallel with economic development.
Martin Bloem , Professor of Environmental Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Agriculture and food are in a time of transformation, driven by the urgency of addressing environmental, social and economic challenges. Technological advances and innovation in agricultural practices are emerging as crucial elements in redesigning the future of our food, ensuring that it is sustainable, efficient and nutritious.
Rajiv Shah, President of the Rockefeller Foundation.
Regenerative agriculture emerges as a holistic response to the problems of intensive agriculture, focusing on restoring soil health, increasing biodiversity, and sequestering atmospheric carbon. This approach, which integrates techniques such as crop rotation, managed grazing, and no-till farming, promotes resilient agricultural systems that produce more nutritious food and improve the natural environment. The transition to regenerative practices represents a paradigm shift towards agriculture that feeds the world in a planet-friendly way.
Christopher Upton, Co-founder of Zerodig
The search for sustainable alternatives to traditional animal proteins has led to the development of innovations such as lab-grown meat and plant-based proteins, some of them obtained through fermentation. These alternatives offer ethical and sustainable solutions that significantly reduce carbon footprint, land use and water consumption. In addition, the production of alternative proteins is less dependent on limited natural resources and contributes to reducing the environmental impact of the food industry.
Mark Post, CSO at Mosa Meat
The cultivation of microalgae in deserts represents a ground-breaking innovation, transforming arid land into productive sources of nutrient-rich food. This practice provides a solution for food production in unfavourable conditions and acts as a carbon sink, offering a double benefit in the fight against climate change.
Miguel Calatayud, Former CEO of iwi
Innovation in water management through advanced desalination, recycling and precision irrigation technologies has become essential. These technologies enable a more efficient use of water, a critical resource for agriculture, ensuring its availability for future generations and minimising the environmental impact of its extraction and use.
The transformation of the food and agriculture sector is at an inflection point, driven by the adoption of advanced technologies that promise a revolution in the way food is produced, processed and consumed. Agritech and Foodtech are emerging as key fields of innovation, offering disruptive solutions that increase efficiency and sustainability and open new avenues to address global food challenges.
Alessio D’Antino, Founder and CEO at Forward Foodin
Artificial intelligence (AI) and big data are redefining the agricultural landscape, improving everything from soil health and pest management to crop resilience and food preservation. These technologies enable detailed analysis of large volumes of data, facilitating decisions based on accurate information that optimise production and minimise environmental impact. AI can predict adverse weather patterns, proactively identify potential crop disease outbreaks and customise irrigation strategies to maximise water efficiency.
The use of high-precision GPS and drones is revolutionising crop and resource management. These tools enable detailed field mapping, optimised planting, accurate fertilisation and crop health monitoring from the air. Drones, in particular, offer a unique perspective for surveying large tracts of land, facilitating early identification of problems and enabling targeted interventions that conserve resources and increase productivity.
Josep Olivart, Consultant at EPS Works
Digital twins, which create virtual representations of agricultural systems, allow farmers to simulate different scenarios and management strategies before applying them in the real world. This ability to forecast and plan can significantly improve resource management, crop selection and farming practices, aligning production with the principles of sustainability and efficiency.
Ramon Gras, Urban Innovation Researcher at Harvard University and Co-Founder of Aretian.
Traceability has become a key pillar in ensuring food safety, quality and sustainability. Emerging technologies in foodtech, such as QR codes and blockchain, provide a transparent view of the journey of food from its origin to the end consumer. This visibility improves consumer confidence and strengthens the integrity of the supply chain, enabling greater accountability in production and distribution practices.
Julie Sigles, Sustainable Supply Chain Traceability Strategist
Innovation in food packaging, using sustainable materials and technologies that prolong product freshness, plays a crucial role in reducing food waste. These solutions not only benefit the environment by reducing the amount of waste generated, but also ensure that food reaches the consumer in optimal condition.
Delia Perez, Vice President, Emerging Business Acceleration Technologies, Aptar Closures, globally.
The urgency of facing global challenges in food and agriculture demands a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach. In this context, joining forces between different sectors and disciplines emerges as the most effective strategy to develop and implement innovative solutions to ensure the sustainability and efficiency of our food systems.
Governments play a crucial role in creating an enabling environment for innovation through policies and regulations that encourage research, investment and the adoption of sustainable technologies in agriculture. The implementation of regulatory frameworks that promote sustainable agricultural practices and investment in critical infrastructure are essential to support the transition to more resilient food systems.
Alex Holst, Senior Policy Manager at the Good Food Institute Europe.
Companies and entrepreneurs are the drivers of innovation, developing new technologies and business models that can transform food and agriculture. Their ability to invest in R&D, experiment and scale innovative solutions is critical to bring ideas from the lab to the market, benefiting producers and consumers alike.
Within the food industry, we face crucial challenges ranging from under-investment in R&D to the tension between financial sustainability and long-term environmental responsibility. Gabriel Torres, CEO of Pascual Innoventures, highlights how innovation is essential to evolve and meet both consumer needs and sustainability imperatives. He highlights the conflict between immediate profitability and long-term environmental commitments, exacerbated by price competition. Pascual Innoventures responds to these challenges by investing in alternative proteins and fostering innovation in nutrition and sustainability through incubation programmes.
On the other hand, Juan Gabriel Aguiriano, Kerry’s Group Sustainability Director, leads initiatives from regenerative agriculture to consumer education to combat food waste, positioning Kerry as a dairy producer with one of the lowest carbon footprints.
In addition, Luis de Arriba, CEO of Calidalia and Investment Partner at Glocal, emphasises the need to accelerate innovation in the food industry, using tools such as artificial intelligence (AI) to optimise supply chains and develop customised solutions that align with specific consumer demands.
Beatriz Romanos, Founder in Techfood Magazine
Academic institutions are vital sources of research and development, generating scientific knowledge that underlies many innovations in Agritech and Foodtech. Collaboration between universities and the agricultural sector facilitates technology transfer and knowledge exchange, ensuring that innovations are accessible and applicable in the real context of agriculture.
AINIA and CNTA are agri-food technology centres in Spain that lead in research, development and innovation, collaborating with companies to improve processes, products and services. Andrés Pascual from AINIA highlights the bioeconomy as a key strategy, promoting the development of biorefineries and the valorisation of by-products to create sustainable value chains and reduce environmental impact. This vision is exemplified by projects such as Cheers and MixMatters, which seek to transform waste into high-value products, and the use of robotics to optimise production processes and reduce food waste.
Estefanía Erro from CNTA illustrates how technology is driving the creation of innovative and sustainable foods. 3D bio-printing and fermentation emerge as key techniques for the development of products such as vegan cheeses and personalised foods for special dietary needs. CNTA, through the Foodtech Opportunity Scenario Map, identifies and promotes innovative technologies such as 3D bio-printing used by Cocuus and fermentation by Väcka to create sustainable food products, highlighting the importance of sectoral collaboration and the integration of new technologies to overcome barriers and promote a sustainable food industry.
Civil society organisations and consumers have an important role to play in promoting sustainable practices and demand for responsible food products. Their ability to influence public policy and business practices is crucial to foster significant change in the way food is produced and consumed.
Beatriz Jacoste highlights the importance of the consumer in the adoption of Foodtech, emphasising how the demand for more sustainable, healthy and convenient options is driving innovation and transforming the food system towards an equitable future. He stresses that current trends in consumer behaviour, such as the search for food that nourishes and protects the planet, are shaping the future of food, driving companies to adopt more ethical and sustainable practices. Jacoste envisions the future diet as a symbiosis of taste and responsibility, where every food choice reflects an awareness of its impact on both human and planetary health, advocating accessible, quality food that promotes waste reduction and favours the consumption of local and seasonal products.
Nicolas Bemaman, Director of Marketing Automation at Tastewise
John Regefalk highlights how culture and culinary innovation intertwine to enrich gastronomic traditions, introducing sustainable practices and new ingredients that foster a dialogue between tradition and innovation. In this context, chefs are key, acting as bridges between culinary innovation and consumers, promoting healthy and environmentally friendly diets through experimentation and technologies such as cultured meat, contributing to a greater awareness of the sustainability and environmental impact of our diets.
Farmers are essential in the innovation process, applying and adapting new technologies and practices in the field. Their experience and knowledge of the environment and farming systems are invaluable in developing solutions that are practical, sustainable and effective.
Multidisciplinary collaboration involves building bridges between different knowledge, skills and resources, promoting a holistic approach to addressing food and agriculture challenges. Through strategic partnerships, we can accelerate the adoption of innovative solutions, ensure food security and move towards a sustainable future for all.
The transformation towards more sustainable and efficient food systems is an imperative in the face of the global challenges of feeding a growing population, mitigating climate change and preserving our natural resources. Through the exploration of innovations in Agritech and Foodtech, and the adoption of regenerative and sustainable agricultural practices, promising pathways towards a resilient and equitable food future are opening up.
Transforming our food systems is a complex challenge that requires collective and committed action. By adopting these conclusions and recommendations, we can move towards a future where sustainable food and food security are a reality for all, ensuring the health of our planet and the well-being of future generations.
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