smallbiztechnology_logo (1)

How Large Agribusinesses Handle Disruptions and Maintain Food Security

6 Min Read

The absence of reasonable access to adequate amounts of healthy and wholesome foods for most individuals in the world determines the importance of food security. Major food marketers are responsible for making food accessible even in the face of challenges. Disturbances can be of different natures, such as geographical catastrophes, various forms of alters of trade, or maybe a pandemic. It is time to learn how these large companies navigate the problems and maintain the food bowl.

How Large Agribusinesses Handle Disruptions and Maintain Food Security?

Here are some ways in which agribusinesses navigate disruptions to maintain food security:

1. Understand the Operational Disruptions

Agricultural shocks occur as climate, market, or technology shocks. For example, lack of rainfall reduces the amount of water that can be used for irrigation, while excessive rainfall can lead to flood disasters, which destroy crops. Labor deficits, pests, and diseases can also threaten food production. Each of these challenges has to be addressed if large agribusinesses are to continue feeding consumers once these threats emerge on the horizon.

A good example of leadership in this field is Stefan Soloviev. He founded Crossroads Agriculture, which represents a vast vertical farming and ranching concern operating within Colorado, Kansas, and New Mexico. He has been working on the proper way to improve food production. His approach argues how great agribusiness leaders could contribute to managing disruptions and ensuring food security.

2. Implement Advanced Technology

One of the primary tasks of managing disruptions in large agribusinesses is using technology. Most organizations today have adopted high-tech techniques for supervising both the crops and the animals they rear.

See also  Smart Hustle Recap: Small Business Week Events + 3 Amazing Interviews

For example, drones survey fields so the farmer knows where the water and fertilizer are required. This minimizes crop failure. Also, it enables the agribusiness to Forecast problems so that they can be easily contained before escalating. By accessing data and information on weather conditions and soil type, they can decide on the right time for planting and harvesting.

3. Diversify the Operations

The second strategic approach is known as diversification. Most big food chain companies plant various crops and rear different species of animals. This is a favorable point because if one crop is ravaged by a pest, disease, or unfavorable weather conditions, the business is assured of other products to sell. For instance, where companies grow corn, they may find that they have lost the crop, but they still have soybeans and wheat to produce. The last one assists in minimizing risks and making the food supply more stable in the future.

4. Adopt Sustainable Practices

Food security is also sustained through the exercise of this concept. Sustainable farming practices have become an interesting scene among large agribusinesses. This implies that they opt for processes in food production that are friendly to the natural setting.

Methods include pest cycling, companion planting, and integrated pest management assistance in conserving the soil and its environmental effects. Thus, there is an implication that through sustainability, these companies will be in a position to produce food on the same land in the future without degrading it.

5. Build Strong Supply Chains

Supply chain resilience or strength is critical when there are disruptions. Big processors involved in food production have extensive chain networks implemented from the producers to suppliers and dealers. If there are problems, they can easily rectify the matter by involving each supply chain segment. For instance, if an ingredient is scarce, they can order it from different vendors or vendors or change their operation to incorporate different ingredients. An efficient supply chain system equally plays an important role in guaranteeing that food gets to the consumer, especially in such incidences.

See also  The Best Way to Plan Objectives and Key Results

6. Spend on Research and Development

Innovation in agribusiness calls for Research and development, commonly abbreviated as R&D. Major enterprises on this subject undertake huge expenditures in Research and development to come across innovative farming methods, improved crop varieties, and efficient means of production.

For example, technological advancements are helping specialists create crops that survive even the worst conditions, such as drought. Such innovations can help sustain food security, especially given the increasing impact of climate change on agriculture.

7. Collaborate and Partnership

The next strategies apply collaboration and partnership as a means of executing activities:

Another strategy is the integration with other organizations. Today, information in large agribusiness industries involves aid from government organizations, universities, and non-profit organizations in sharing knowledge systems.

For example, they may seek to form a research tie-up with universities to study new farming practices or work with governments to ensure that rules for food production are adopted. Together, they can overcome common obstacles and support food security.

Conclusion

We need large-scale food producers and processors to feed the world in the new and rapidly evolving socio-economic context. Large agribusinesses can adequately manage disruptive changes by implementing technology, developing a diversified portfolio, embracing sustainable approaches, developing robust supply chains, investing in Research and associates, and incorporating partnerships. These companies can help provide food for the world as we encounter new problems in agriculture.

 

Image Source: Unsplash

Share This Article
Becca Williams is a writer, editor, and small business owner. She writes a column for Smallbiztechnology.com and many more major media outlets.