«How can our agriculture and food system become fit for the new normal?»
It is time to say goodbye to millimeter agricultural policy, says Liebegg director Hansruedi Häfliger in view of the global multi-crisis. Farming families should be given back the necessary room for maneuver so that the agriculture and food economy becomes more resilient.
Tuesday, April 11, 2023
The beginning of the year is an appropriate time to look back and take stock: the world is in a multi-crisis! A brutal war of aggression rages in Europe, and the global geopolitical situation is more unstable than ever. War also rages in cyberspace and even in outer space. Climate and hunger crises contribute to massive migration flows, and the energy crisis, along with the effects of COVID-19, cause insecure and disrupted supply chains. Financial and commodity markets react with corresponding instability, fueling inflationary tendencies. Additionally, global land grabbing and brain drain occur alongside unprecedented labor shortages in Western Europe.
Crises require adaptive systems
The world has entered a "new normal" that will affect us for decades to come. The volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world increasingly overwhelms people, leading to a sense of loss of control. In an attempt to regain control, people ask for more planning, increasing the need for structure, order, and compliance. However, scientific research shows that routines, checklists, and standardized procedures are of limited use in turbulent times. Broad competencies and personal responsibility are essential. Crises call for resilient individuals with perseverance and trustworthy minds with leadership skills. Crises require adaptive systems that provide room for maneuver for the actors.
Balancing conflicting goals is crucial
Currently, the Swiss economy remains in a robust position. Ample room for maneuver and intensive "training" with trading partners have kept the actors fit. However, the multi-crisis will increasingly put pressure on today's prosperity, and basic human needs will become more important at the same time. Thus, we would do well to make our agriculture and food sector more resilient by giving farming families the room for maneuver they need and moving away from overly restrictive agricultural policies. We should also increasingly weigh the prosperity-driven trade-offs in the environmental and rural sectors according to the principle of systemic relevance. It is not yet too late to prepare ourselves for the new normal.
Hansruedi Häfliger is Director of the Liebegg Agricultural Center. This guest article was first published in the "BauernZeitung" of February 17, 2023.
Kindly note:
We, a non-native editorial team value clear and faultless communication. At times we have to prioritize speed over perfection, utilizing tools, that are still learning.
We are deepL sorry for any observed stylistic or spelling errors.
Related articles
Pesticides in Green Smoothies
After countless recipes for Christmas cookies, festive roasts and cocktails, the advice on losing weight, detoxing and beautifying oneself now takes centre stage. Most of it is sheer nonsense.
Natural Toxins: An Underestimated Risk in Our Food
Safe food cannot be taken for granted. While chemical substances are often the focus of public criticism, reality shows that the greatest risks to food safety are of natural origin. Recent recalls of infant food products illustrate how insidious bacterial toxins or moulds can be.
Herbal Teas: Making You Sick Instead of Slim
Plant protection products are frequently the focus of public criticism. Far less attention is paid to the fact that natural ingredients in teas and dietary supplements are also biologically active and can pose health risks.
Ensuring Food Security Through Innovation
Agriculture stands at the centre of a global field of tension shaped by climate change, geopolitical crises and growing demand for food. Insights from the World Economic Forum in Davos show that the industry’s response lies in the intelligent combination of digital precision and biological progress.