Cutting-edge innovations for eradicating world hunger E-Book

Rainer Friedel

• Herausgeber: BoD - Books on Demand
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 318

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

Overall, the book offers a detailed analysis of the current and future challenges facing global agriculture and shows practical solutions for how these can be overcome through technological and political innovations. The topicality of the book is highly rated, as it deals with central and pressing global problems that are highly topical and will continue to be of enormous importance in the coming decades.

Leseprobe

This book is translated from German to English with AI.

“It is not a question of predicting the future, but of being prepared for the future.”

Pericles, leading statesman in ancient Athens

* around 490 BC

† September 429 BC

Contents

Greetings

Foreword

I. Agricultural Development Goal 2050: Food Security for the World

1. Food needs for the world

2. Production and Demand: Yesterday – Today – 2050

i. The most striking deficiencies of contemporary world agriculture.

ii. Good examples for poor regions

1. The agro -industrial complex and the food industry

2. Which crises most urgently require innovation?

i. Climate change

ii. Water shortage:

iii. Food shortages:

v. Disagreements:

III. Current and expected fields of innovation in agriculture

1. Precision Agriculture

2. Process Automation

3. Autonomous Production Networks (APN)

i. How does AI work in agriculture?

ii. Fields of action that are being revolutionized by AI innovations

iii. Autonomous production networks are the future of process design in agriculture

iv. package offers for agricultural users

v. Further training on the efficient use of AI and APN

vi. Who is researching AI in agriculture?

vii. Artificial Intelligence in Agricultural Logistics

4. Ongoing multiple soil and plant analysis using remote sensing

5. Vertical farming

6. Agroforestry management

7. Organic farming

i. Start 100 years ago

ii. The EU's organic rules

iii. International organic rules

iv. The wealth of knowledge of organic farming

8. Fertilization, plant protection, stored product protection

i. Fertilization

ii. Plant protection

iii. Stock protection

9. Irrigation

i. Irrigation in Europe

ii. Irrigation in Southern Developing Countries

10. Promoting biodiversity through innovation

i. Examples of innovations to promote biodiversity

ii. Examples of various benefits of biodiversity

11. Plant and animal breeding

i. Examples of innovative breeding methods

ii. Example of wheat breeding

iii. Animal breeding

12. Animal Welfare

i. What is animal welfare?

ii. Research results for improving animal welfare

iii. "Factory farming"

iv. Slaughtering process

v. Practical Innovations to improve animal welfare

vi. Animal welfare campaigns in Germany and other countries …

vii. Which countries are known for inadequate animal welfare?

13. Animal feeding

i. Overview

ii. Examples in practice

iii. Conclusion

14. Other innovative production directions in agriculture

i. Agricultural energy production

Biogas plants

Cultivation of energy crops

Biofuels

Land areas for wind turbines

Hydrogen from manure plus wind energy

ii. In vitro meat

iii. Aquaculture as part of agriculture

iv. Cultivation of algae

v. Insects as Food

vi. Cooperation with the future sector of bio-economy

15. Innovation pioneers

i. Global Innovation Pioneers

a) Selected agricultural research institutes

b) Research and manufacturing companies

ii. Innovation start as a collaborative innovation community

16. Innovations through certifications and standardization

i. The Basics of Certification and Standardization

ii. Certification: Evidence of high quality

iii. Standards: Advantages of Application – Disadvantages of Non- Application

17. Future prospects of different agricultural structures and business models

i. Agricultural structure - landscape structure - settlement structure

ii. Company size and business development potential

iii. International Comparison

iv. Diverse ecological landscapes

IV. Political framework for implementing the objectives of this book

1. Aim of this chapter

2. Germany's Contribution to Feeding the World

i. Needs and Objectives of a Future-Oriented Agricultural Policy

ii. Structural change must be managed by 2040

iii. Key areas of action in the transformation process

3. Future of International Agriculture

i. The Future of EU Agriculture

V. Innovations for Food Production

1. Cellular agriculture

2. Microalgae cultivation

3. 3D-food printing

4. Use of plant-based proteins

5. Plant-based alternative products (e.g. vegan etc.)

6. Insect protein

7. Precision fermentation

8. Fermentation technologies

9. Packaging solutions

VI. Epilogue

The author

Notes on spelling, grammar and sources

Greetings

Greetings from Johan Maris

CEO at Control Union, Rotterdam, Netherlands

No challenge is greater for humanity today than providing the everincreasing number of people living on our planet with sufficient and healthy food every day. It is difficult to see how many countries are spending large sums of money on various activities that could instead be used to improve the global food supply.

Even the very clear documents and actions of the UN, WHO and FAO calling for participation have not been able to bring about a sufficient change in recent decades. Thousands of experts from industrialized countries have been using their knowledge, experience and ambition to work where help is needed for many years and have actually achieved many individual, important partial successes. Nevertheless, an estimated 345 million people worldwide will still be suffering from acute food shortages in 2023/24. And this tragedy affects the same victims every year. This cannot continue.

The book "Cutting-edge innovations for eradicating world hunger" by farmer, scientist and author Rainer Friedel applies a special strategy to combat hunger. It provides an overview of current and expected innovations that can quickly make the agricultural sector everywhere more efficient.

The author focuses on three key points:

At the beginning, he presents the development goals for world agriculture in 2050 in a short chapter. He does not develop his own new theses, but rather summarizes the core statements of the most important documents from leading world organizations and scientists . He supplements this with his own brief description of the most glaring deficits in world agriculture at present and with examples of successful actions from the cooperation of helpful experts with the local rural population in famine-stricken regions. This shows, using well-executed examples, that “improvement is possible!!”.

The core of the book is the detailed description of current and future innovations in agriculture. The book focuses on 17 innovation fields, including irrigation, fertilization, plant and stored product protection, organic farming, promoting biodiversity in agricultural landscapes, plant and animal breeding, animal welfare, process automation and autonomous production networks, certification and standardization, etc. In each innovation field, the author describes the innovation value and the expected progress for agricultural practice.

Sometimes unexpected individual innovations are combined and lead to surprising solutions. Example: In the area of “precision feeding of animals”, new physiological findings on the digestive physiology of animals are combined with the use of digital technology. In this way, the feed value of the ration can be adapted to each individual animal and increased for the entire group of animals.

The book also lists producers, dealers and research institutions with their locations and names, so that interested readers can more easily obtain additional facts about the respective innovations.

The third focus of the book is a critical examination of the agricultural policies of various countries. In doing so, the author uncovers a number of weaknesses. At the same time, he makes suggestions based on his own decades of experience in this field. The latter deal with the need to develop the structure of the many small and very small farms in particular so that the farms are financially, know-how-wise and technically able to actually use existing innovations and gradually abandon the production methods of their ancestors. He also questions the "equal treatment" in the awarding of state subsidies. He postulates that those who contribute more to creating food security with the subsidies should fare better .

Using Germany as an example, he takes the research publication of a large German bank as an opportunity to design his own program for a nationwide transformation program for the country's agricultural structure. In January 2024, the bank published the thesis that in the period up to 2040 there will be a decline in Germany from 256,000 farms in 2022 to around 100,000 farms in 2040. In the same period, according to this source, the average size of a farm will increase from 64.8 hectares to 160 hectares. Their draft program assumes that this process cannot take place automatically and that framework conditions are needed to prevent damage to the industry and the country as a whole. This chapter of the book can also provide other countries with suggestions for creating a sustainable agricultural structure.

The book as a whole is well worth reading.

It will promote the development of agriculture.

Johan Maris • CEO

Rotterdam • The Netherlands

Greetings from Bohdan Andreas Dreihaupt

Co-founder and CEO, Crosscheck Technologies Inc., Kiev, Ukraine

This book addresses highly topical issues that are shaping and changing our world. We live in a time when the challenges we face are unprecedented. The urgency with which we apply solutions to manage climate change, resource scarcity and economic change requires innovations such as those impressively described in this book.

Why are innovations so important today? They enable us to respond to complex and unprecedented problems. They create the basis for achieving more with less, making processes more efficient and making the world more sustainable. New solutions are essential, especially when dealing with climate change, as explained in the relevant chapter of the book. Climate change is posing new challenges for the world due to extreme weather events, water shortages and changing production conditions for agriculture and requires us to go beyond what is known. Technological advances such as precision agriculture is opening up new ways to secure yields while minimizing the ecological footprint.

Another central theme of this book is the role of certifications and standards. As explained in the relevant chapter of the book , this is not just about bureaucratic formalities, but about a system that creates trust and ensures quality. In a globalized world in which supply chains are becoming more complex and consumer expectations are becoming more demanding, certifications offer a reliable basis for individual companies and entire value chains. They enable transparency and set standards that are equally important for producers and consumers. At the same time, these processes must be further simplified and made more efficient in order to stimulate innovation.

The book also highlights that the administrative hurdles that many sustainability managers face must be removed. Regulations must not lead to experts drowning in a jungle of paperwork. They need tools to make well-founded decisions quickly and reliably. Startups and innovators need freedom to try out new things and develop fresh ideas. Innovation requires courage and this courage must also be supported externally.

Science and logical thinking must be in harmony. But we see far too often that science remains powerless against greed and ignorance. In this sense, the book shows how crucial it is to translate scientific findings into practical action and to strengthen trust in the respective processes and systems.

This book invites us to think more carefully about previous approaches and to have the courage to take new paths. It not only addresses the problems of our time, but above all offers concrete solutions for the near and distant future to drive change in agriculture, certification and in tackling climate change.

We hope that the book will inspire many readers to embrace innovations and set out to actively shape the future in a sustainable way.

Bohdan Andreas Dreihaupt

Co-founder and CEO, Crosscheck Technologies Inc., Kyiv, Ukraine

.

Foreword

This book combines exemplary and sophisticated long-term professional experience with current literature research. This has resulted in a collection of facts on the subject of the book that is both practical and scientifically sound . It is intended to be of use to farmers , scientists, politicians and other experts interested in the future of agriculture.

Here, topics of particular urgency are discussed that can help to further improve the efficiency of agriculture and food production . The answers to many questions on this topic are very suitable for ensuring that farmers , politicians and scientists, as well as other affected parties and stakeholders, can play a positive role in solving the closely related, current existential questions facing humanity (climate, food supply, biodiversity , peace, etc.). The book therefore represents a valuable source on the subject of the book.

The public debate about agriculture and nutrition in the world is currently dominated by the fact that improvements are urgently needed. Among the many facts discussed, three statements dominate: As the earth warms, water is becoming scarcer and it is expected that the average yield per hectare of many crops could fall. If the amount of food produced decreases and the population continues to rise, there is a risk of global food shortages of previously unknown proportions.

The conclusion is consistent from many perspectives : agriculture and the food system must change rapidly in order to ensure the well-being and peace of all the planet's inhabitants in the future. In addition, agriculture should also contribute to overcoming the climate crisis, preserving biodiversity and the landscape, and ensuring the future vitality of villages, according to its capabilities.

The UN Climate Change Conference held in Dubai at the end of 2023, which brought together almost 200 countries and tens of thousands of participants , also addressed the climate impacts on agriculture. The final report states: "We urge governments to commit to integrating food and agriculture more effectively into their national climate agendas. The transition from political declarations to concrete actions is needed."

Beyond that, the expectations placed on the industry are diverse and extensive. Perhaps the greatest change in agriculture is now before mankind, since man began to sow grain 10,000 years ago to feed himself. Because now it is not just a single village community that is affected, but all people on the planet at the same time. The change in the industry that is now required must be managed at an incomparably high speed. We simply call the agriculture to be created the

“future agriculture”.

It should include all forms of agricultural and food production that have been useful up to now, such as organic, ecological, sustainable, resilient, conventional, industrial and other forms. Each of these forms has its own special advantages. All of these forms should be applicable to everyone. Future agriculture should be "sustainable for our grandchildren", i.e. it should meet more requirements than just "sustainable " and "ecological". "Suitable for our grandchildren" takes the lives of future generations into account as a whole and refers to a healthy, nourished and humane society across the entire planet .

Where should we begin to plan this development? What is most urgent? Who does what? Farmers, scientists and politicians are faced with many such questions today.

The ancient Greek Archimedes said, "Give me a fixed point and I will lift the world off its hinges." Following this, the author of this book decided to start from the point at which the community of all those involved and affected must begin to start the overall process most effectively, in order to describe the transformation of the agricultural and food industry.

From the wealth of different concepts, he therefore decided to follow the approach that assumes that the need for different types of food and the necessary ingredients for a healthy diet for the growing world population should first be determined 1. On this basis, the required harvest quantities should then be determined and arable farming methods adapted to the region and the company should be determined. Innovative methods of cultivation should be preferred, including those described in this book. However, local or regional experiences that have proven successful in the past can also be carried over into the future, either directly or in an adapted form.

From the calculations available, it is clear that new, more effective processes must be developed and applied in order to produce the required quantities of food under the expected conditions. In parallel , additional work results that have not yet been specifically applied to agriculture, such as climate protection, CO2 sequestration, biodiversity, peace, etc., must be achieved. Finally, population growth, eating habits, climate change and technological progress must be considered.

The necessary changes in nutrition and agriculture must take place worldwide in order to bring benefits everywhere.

The book is intended to fit into this global field of action. However, the agricultural statements concentrate on “European mixed agriculture in the temperate latitudes” (roughly between 7- and 60-degrees longitude and 60- and 45-degrees latitude).

limit the amount of facts , facts from Central Europe, especially from Germany, are often used as model cases.

The consideration of the much larger areas of agricultural land beyond European mixed farming in temperate latitudes is necessary to ensure that European mixed farming continues to contribute its fair share to global food supplies. In addition, no measures in cultivation and trade may be planned or implemented in developed countries in the future that could be detrimental to other agricultural sectors in the world .

Finally, a separate chapter examines the political framework for implementing the technical goals of this book. Successful agriculture in every country in the world requires an agricultural policy that is adapted to the country's past and shapes the future. Deficiencies in laws and unnecessary bureaucracy are addressed. But new ideas and suggestions are also presented for discussion from the author's vast pool of experience and the literature.

The book is intended as a collection and evaluation of ideas and concepts that are circulating in the professional world. It is intended to be a useful reference work for all readers who want to participate in the transformation of agriculture.

Berlin, January 2025

1For example, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the World Resources Institute (WRI) are working in this way, as are many other institutes and scientists from many different research areas around the world. These results were studied by the author and are the basis for the "future" agriculture characterized by innovations.

I. Agricultural Development Goal 2050: Food Security for the World

1. Food needs for the world

The food crisis is considered to be one of the most catastrophic of the current crises with global impact. Its full impact is predicted to occur by the middle of the current century. On the one hand, it could lead to further increases in social inequality, humanitarian emergencies and political conflicts. On the other hand , it is assumed that a global food crisis could tie up scientific, financial and human resources that are also urgently needed to limit the effects of climate change and prevent further environmental destruction .

In addition, the world has been significantly threatened by natural disasters in recent decades, which could significantly reduce the amount of food available. The increase in such tragedies is primarily attributed to climate change. These include weather events such as floods , droughts and storms, but also geological events such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In agriculture, floods and droughts are particularly relevant because they directly affect yields.

Each of these worrying events has a significant impact on the agricultural sector . These effects are predominantly negative for agriculture as an economic sector and for all people working in this field.

In order to counteract the real danger of a multiple crisis situation in a timely manner, we join the large number of experts working on this issue with the following goal:

The main goal of global agriculture in the middle of the current century is to ensure a sufficient supply of food that ensures the health and well-being of all people on earth

In the 2022 publication “BMZ Core Theme Strategy: Life without Hunger – Transformation of Agricultural and Food Systems” published by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the word “innovation” is mentioned 13 times in 30 pages. Unfortunately, not a single innovation that could reduce hunger is named or even briefly described in the entire brochure. As a reader of the brochure, you feel as if you are sitting at an empty table and being informed about delicious food. This book is intended to compensate for this situation as much as is possible in a small book. In the diverse network of positive findings and developments as well as negative facts and opinions, a large number of selected innovations are described in 17 fields of action. The aim is to give farmers, scientists and politicians as well as other people working on the topic a clear reference work in order to quickly provide up-to-date basic information both for their own specialist area and for other developments that are intertwined with it .

providing timely information on current and expected innovations that are expected to have a particularly significant impact on the timely solution of the food crisis predicted by relevant authorities.

2. Production and Demand: Yesterday – Today – 2050

In order to characterize the future development goals of agriculture , it is useful to briefly look at the present and the past and to examine two issues in more detail:

i. The most striking deficiencies of contemporary world agriculture.

One of the most notable deficits is the unimaginably large differences in the efficiency of agricultural production in the various regions of the world. This has been the case for many years and unfortunately still exists today. The main reasons for this are based on the respective history of the countries and the current local opportunities to optimally develop their respective educational levels and technical equipment. In addition, there are different regional and local climatic conditions, unequal availability of fertilizers and pesticides as well as irrigation options and deficits in agricultural work processes.

It is now estimated that an average farmer in the United States harvests about 10 tons of corn per hectare. In many developing countries, particularly in Africa, an average of 1.6 tones is often expected. In Asia, particularly in China and India, there is a wide range of productivity levels. In some areas there is already intensive agriculture with yields similar to those in the developed world. In other areas of these countries, very old practices with low yields still dominate. Individual super farms in China, Saudi Arabia and India are among the leading ones in the world.

For decades, yields per hectare and the resulting level of food supply to the population have been very unequal in the various regions of the world, and unfortunately 2 this has hardly changed over long periods of time .

Current estimates from the WHO and FAO indicate that more than 690 million people worldwide are currently suffering from hunger. In contrast, around 1.9 billion adults in other countries are overweight or obese.

More and more responsible organizations (including WHO and FAO) are working worldwide to ensure that, similar to the way in which the global climate crisis is tackled, food production in the South is improved as quickly and as significantly as possible through joint actions by developed and backward countries. Unfortunately, the goals have so far been achieved only to a very limited extent. In short, there is much more talk and writing than there is action and improvement.

At the same time, it must be ensured that developed countries at least maintain their production levels, even though population growth is expected there too and at the same time arable land is being lost, particularly through settlement and transport construction. Yield declines due to the expected climate change are also very likely in developed countries.

A few years ago, the FAO published its document "How to Feed the World" 3 . The report is full of shocking facts . Unfortunately, many of the statements are still as true today as they were when it was published. However, some figures have become even more dramatic. We quote some passages below.

"By 2050, the world population will reach 9.1 billion, 34 percent more than today. Almost all of the population increase will occur in developing countries. Urbanization will continue at an accelerated rate... To feed this larger, more urban and wealthier population, food production (excluding food used for biofuels) must increase by 70 percent. Annual grain production must increase from 2.1 billion tons today to about 3 billion tones, and annual meat production must increase by over 200 million tons to 470 million tones 4 ."

The required increase in food production can be achieved if the necessary investments are made and measures are taken to promote agricultural production. However, increasing production is not enough to ensure food security. Measures to improve access to food through poverty reduction , particularly in rural areas, and effective safety net programs must be complementary.

Despite adequate overall supplies, hunger may persist due to a lack of income opportunities for the poor…

Growth from agriculture, especially the smallholder sector, is at least twice as effective in the least developed countries and benefits the poorest as growth from non- agricultural sectors. This is not surprising, since 75 percent of the poor in developing countries live in rural areas...

Studies estimate that the total negative impact of climate change on African agricultural production could be between 15 and 30 percent by 2080–2100...

The world has the resources and technologies to end hunger and ensure long-term food security for all, despite many challenges and risks. It must mobilize the political will and build the necessary institutions… The time to act is now.”

The aim of this book is to remind us once again of these long-standing grievances. Above all, however, the aim of this book is to present and discuss new and soon-to-be-expected innovations and possible measures that should enable better action.

ii. Good examples for poor regions

The most successful fields of action in recent years were:

a) Improving agricultural productivity. Good experiences are reported in particular from two lines:

Selective introduction of techniques that are completely new at the test sites, but for which there is good experience in countries where these techniques have been used for a long time, e.g. improved irrigation techniques and targeted use of fertilizers. This is combined with elements of precision agriculture such as drones and the use of satellite images. In addition to the technology, highyield seeds that can be used in a location-appropriate manner are also used. In order to ensure that these methods are used effectively right from the start, accompanying training programs are carried out for local small farmers.

Financial support for small farmers. Two approaches have proven particularly effective, each tested in different locations. A number of aid organizations have introduced microcredit programs that enable local farmers to invest in their farms and thus increase their production. In addition, subsidies have been provided for agricultural inputs such as fertilizers and seeds to increase productivity.

b) improving infrastructure

Through the cooperation of international aid organizations with governments and local actors, a wide range of improvements have been achieved in rural infrastructure, such as irrigation, storage, processing and transport. The effects were increased yields, better access for farmers to markets and a reduction in post-harvest losses.

c) political reforms

To strengthen land rights, reform agricultural policies and promote agricultural investments, several developing countries have implemented policy reforms to create the necessary conditions for improving the efficiency of agricultural production.

Despite the extremely deplorable overall situation regarding the food crisis in many regions of the South, there are some bright spots. It is possible to name specific regions from which good news is coming. This increases the confidence that these developments can be continued. The best progress has recently been made in countries in the sub-Saharan region and in South Asia. Ethiopia, Malawi and Ghana have reported remarkable increases in yields through the introduction of fertilizer subsidies and improved seed programs. In South Asia, Nepal and Bangladesh have made good progress by improving infrastructure and agricultural techniques .

These few examples are not complete. But they represent important pioneering achievements that encourage both the international aid organizations from the developed countries and the governments of the still weak countries to follow the models of the pioneers in order to improve themselves. Unfortunately, the number of all the good examples is still not enough to improve the nutritional situation worldwide.

II. Brief description of the current situation

Digitalization in agriculture and the development of new technologies equipped with it are currently particularly relevant for innovation. At the forefront are large autonomous machines such as tractors and harvesters, but also technology in stables and storage rooms and for management tasks. In addition, autonomously flying drones are also being used over fields and sensors in the stables for process monitoring.

In these fields of innovation, sensors are used for monitoring and actuators for controlling processes. The data obtained by machines and processed using artificial intelligence (AI) is used to implement planned actions and corrective measures. The latter are then triggered by employees, but more and more appropriately equipped technical actuators are now also doing this. Finally, for some time now there have also been a wide range of applications of AI in operational management (data collection and provision , process monitoring, decision preparation, etc.).

It is expected that all these innovations will continue to increase the productivity and sustainability of agriculture in the future. At the same time, the repeatedly mentioned unfavorable side effects of “modern agriculture” from the last decades will be avoided more and more efficiently.

New research questions are constantly being raised in research and in highly developed agricultural enterprises that will enable future agriculture to be increasingly better able to provide raw materials for food and industrial uses and, moreover, to support social goals such as climate protection, biodiversity, landscape conservation and lively villages.

1. The agro -industrial complex and the food industry

In no country in the world can agriculture produce the raw materials for sufficient quantities of food and industrial raw materials on its own. Its performance is determined primarily by its participation in an extensive network of other industries. This network is usually referred to as the " agro -industrial complex". (AIK)". The functionality of the AIK 5 is particularly pronounced in countries where a certain proportion of agricultural holdings have a size and material equipment as well as a management structure that function as efficiently as in industry.

Agriculture has a decisive position among the structures cooperating in the AIK. The smooth functioning of this network is necessary so that agriculture can efficiently fulfill its task of providing raw materials for food and other purposes. Other development factors for the entire network are the changing natural conditions and national and global economic and agricultural policies.

The size and function of the participating agricultural enterprises enable them to enter into partnerships on an equal footing with industrial enterprises in relevant sectors, which bring economic benefits to both sides and to the consumers who depend on the AIK. A book with the German title "Strategy of the economic development of the agro -industrial complex" was recently published in German and several other languages 6 .

The term “agro -industrial complex (AIC)” has a significantly different meaning than the term “industrial agriculture (ILW)”. The latter describes a special type of agricultural enterprise that uses industrial-like production methods and management forms, which allows these agricultural enterprises to work particularly efficiently and therefore be an equal part of the agro -industrial complex.

We discuss these structures in this book because AIK and ILW are now developing more and more dynamically in a number of countries with strong agriculture and it can be assumed that these structures will continue to gain in importance very quickly in the future in order to more securely achieve the goals of future global, European and German agriculture.

The most important partners of the AIK

1. Agriculture: This branch of industry deals with the production of plant and animal raw materials. The majority of these products are produced in the fields as raw materials for food processing, e.g. grain, corn, potatoes, but also for animal feed. In animal husbandry, animals are kept, mostly fed from the farm's own fields, for the production of meat, milk, eggs, etc. If necessary, agricultural waste products, e.g. corn straw, cereal straw, liquid manure, etc., are also used as raw materials for energy production or other industrial purposes.

Because of the similarities in production processes, the horticultural branches for fruit, vegetables and wine are often also considered part of agriculture. However, for reasons of space, they are only discussed in passing in this book .

Usually, various service providers of agricultural businesses , such as consulting firms, repair shops for agricultural machinery, but also agricultural dealers, are also assigned to the agricultural sector.

In agricultural practice, there are an almost incalculable number of types of farm, based on the different agricultural site conditions (soil, water, climate) and regional history (landscape type, proximity to cities, etc.) and the individual farm history . Each of these farm types has its rightful place in the right location within the framework of the model of a diverse agricultural structure.

If you look at the international level or at certain regions in Germany, it becomes clear that larger companies, which are usually particularly well equipped in terms of finances, machinery, qualified management teams and detailed know-how, will play a key role in the future. They will increasingly assume a leading role in the market in order to produce large quantities of food of assured quality in a cost-effective, environmentally friendly and animal-friendly manner .

In the lay public, 7 companies that use this method of production are often associated with monoculture, water pollution and poor product quality, etc. due to a lack of or insufficient knowledge of the judge. From my own experience, the author can say that these companies have the financial, material and technical resources to more effectively avoid defects that could reduce product quality, business results or the image that is important for larger companies, than companies that work with less efficient equipment . The reason: the latter usually have fewer financial resources and less specific know-how than those with a management team of specialists and suitable technology and sufficient finances.

Farms that use high-performance agricultural technology usually have the highest level of equipment and use of innovations for economic efficiency and quality assurance as well as for climate protection and ecology. A high proportion of these farms also work according to standards and certification programs, which greatly supports quality production and compliance with regulations . We will discuss the future potential of this type of farm in more detail in a later chapter.

2. Agro - industry: This term covers the industries that manufacture machines such as tractors, combine harvesters, plows and much more for field and stable management , as well as the processing and storage of products produced by agriculture . These sectors are currently experiencing a significant boost in innovation thanks to microelectronics and artificial intelligence. Self-driving tractors that sow seed on sufficiently large fields without a driver and then automatically bring in the harvest months later are no longer a rarity in companies with the necessary financial strength and area size. Accordingly, the performance of agricultural technology in stables, warehouses and processing plants has also grown rapidly and a high pace of innovation can be expected in this segment.

3. Agrochemicals: This sector includes companies that manufacture fertilizers and pesticides and supply them to agriculture . This branch of the AIK is often the subject of critical observation. This is justified, as measurements in streams, rivers, lakes and in the soil often show residues of pesticides and fertilizers, which are undoubtedly harmful to nature and humans. However, it must be considered that, on the one hand, it is not the manufacturers of the substances who release these substances into the environment and, on the other hand, that not using these substances would lead to significantly lower harvests for farmers, which would significantly increase hunger in the world.

Innovative solutions in this field are therefore of the utmost urgency . This book presents a range of very different solutions. The innovative potential in this sector is very high because the underlying science, chemistry, can develop new findings on new products relatively quickly than , for example, ecology or ethology .

Finally, it must also be considered that a large number of critics do not have sufficient expertise in assessing the deficits that actually exist, which leads to (unintentional) misjudgments that are then disseminated to the general public as facts or even passed as useless laws 8 .

4. Seed Production

The production of seeds for agriculture is considered a separate industry. According to the European Seed Association (ESA), there are around 7,000 seed companies in Europe. They produce a wide range of seeds. However, the individual companies operate very differently. Their market impact ranges from global to local. As a result, a brief description of the industry does not apply equally to every company.

The main task of the seed breeding industry is to provide high-quality seeds for agriculture. To this end, the large companies not only multiply existing varieties but also focus on breeding new, improved varieties. These should then meet the requirements of current and further developed agricultural production systems, but also future challenges, e.g. with regard to climate change, better than they currently do.

Plant breeding is a very complex process for which a number of special breeding methods have been developed. This ranges from the classic breeding methods that last for many plant generations to new biotechnological processes with a comparatively very short time span to the result.

The seed industry in Europe is highly regulated. Seed companies must meet strict quality standards and their products must be officially recognized and approved before they can be placed on the market. This applies to both conventional seed and genetically modified seed.

5. Food industry: As part of the AIK, the food industry has the task of producing and providing food for human consumers from the raw materials provided by agriculture. Special processing lines have been developed for the various raw materials: dairies, slaughterhouses and meat processing plants, mills, breweries, etc.

There are also significant differences in size and technology in this industry. For example, the slaughterhouse that describes itself as the