This presentation was part of a design project in an university setting. The company Einböck is provider of sustainable soil (and grass) management. “Success on the farm”is the main motto. Success is equivalent in this context with a rich crop. Farming in future will and has to change. Based on the mega trend urbanizationan the threads of climate and soil issues also Einböck has to change. Farmers of today cannot deal with all challenges of the agricultural sectorin the fututre. Based on Einböck’s values, the opportunities on the markt and promising trends the company has to step on a new business path. http://designbusters.wordpress.com

1. Food Industrialization
Less and less people working in primary sector (= agriculture). More and
more is handed over to industrial mass production of food with less peo-
ple and more technology. This type of production has several ecologic
problems. Scandals (BSE, horse-meat, ...) are the result of the increas-
ingly large-scaled, concentrated food industries.
Ecologic problems of industrial food production:
o too many nutrients (nitrogen, phospat, ...) in water for farming
o pollution of ground water through pesticides
o packing of soil through heavy agricultural machinery
o danger of erosion through single-crop farming
o vulnerability of crops against illnesses and pests
o resistance of pests against pesticides
o reduction of biodiversity of crops
o exposure of food products with pesticides, nitrates, antibiotics, hormones, transquilizers, ...
o death of farmers through pesticides
o increased energy consumption through machinery
o increased CO2 emissions through machinery

2. Land transformation
Pesticides and synthetic fertilizers damage long-term fertility of the soid.
The consequence is land transformation, degradation and devestation.
Other reasons for land transformatioin are water scarcity, pollution, loss
of biodiversity, floods, deforestation, ...

3. Economic pressure
Due to the fact that agriculture deals with a very sensitive resource
“food” there is a high economic pressure in the agricultural system. At
the moment, productivity in agriculture decrease, this means that prices
for agricultural end-products increase.The result is a rise in hunger and
poverty worldwide.
Farmers have to “grow” or “go”. This is due to the following facts:
o the average productivity increase in agriculture of 2 % per year
o the increased work productivity through technical progress in machinery
o the only low increase of population and so forth demand of food
o the strong concentration of supply in agricultural machinery
o the strong concentration of demand with high price pressure
o the disposal of guaranteed prices for agricultural products
o administrative and environmental regulations in food production

4. Climate Change
The agricultural sector is one of the largest climate killers. Agriculture
causes carbon dioxide emissions. The downside of this has also be car-
ried by the agricultural sector (= flood, drought, hail, storm ...).

5. Farmer’s death
Reasons for farmer’s death (in Austria) are various, but the main reason
is the following: “Typically small farmers quit, because of the high costs
of technization and industrialization and because of low income expec-
tatoins if there is not a minimal production volume to be competitive.”

6. Food Quality
Due to industrial mass production in the food industry fast food,
junk food or convenience food are spreading and getting popular by
consumers. Though there is a contrary movement to plant their own
vegetables, herbs and other agricultural products on farms that are
shared with other “hobby” farmers (urban farms, shared farming).

7. Potentials
Food Industrialization
Problems of food products due to industrial mass production.
Support Small-Scale-Farming of hobby farmers or part-time farmers to improve food quality.
Use trend to biologic and ecologic foods products with high degree of sustainability.
Potential: Small and usable machinery for not 100% professional farmers
Farmer’s Death
Farmer’s death cause of high investment costs and low income expectations
Support consumers to enable their agricultural skills.
Target groups of machine producer is not only farmers, but also “prosumers”.
Potential: Services and small machinery for “prosumer” farmers on shared or urban farms.
Land Transformation
Wrong use and preparation of “valuable” soil can damage the conditions for agriculture.
Protecting good soil conditions there is more effort necessary in the short run (also more costs?).
Potential: Innovative solutions to avoid damaging methods in agriculture or educational services to
support farmers worldwide to keep a sustainable soil.
Economic Pressure
Farmers do not earn much money for their products. The prices are stable since the 70s.
The productivity is not increasing any more.
Farmers have to deal with high economic pressure.
Potential: New business models for farmers so that they can accumulate more money for their work.
Climate Change
Agriculture produces a high amount of CO2 emissions that support global warming.
Agriculture suffers cause of climate change consequences.
Potential: New equipment and machinery to reduce CO2 emissions and/or find ways to prepare soil in
not so productive regions.
Food Quality
see Food Industrialization and Farmer’s Death

8. Sources
Agriculture - Wikpedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agriculture
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_and_Agriculture_Organization
International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD)
http://www.greenfacts.org/en/agriculture-iaastd/l-2/1-agriculture-challenges.htm
The future of nutrition
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAbDZRYyApc
Climate Change and Agriculture
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j83KqC_IJ0c
Agriculture Researcher Armin Werner
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2nbQ4GtQ98
Agriculture 2020
http://www4.agr.gc.ca/AAFC-AAC/display-afficher.do?id=1272462773823&lang=eng
Sustainable use of soil
http://www.bmelv.de/DE/Landwirtschaft/Nachhaltige-Landnutzung/nachhaltige_landnutzung_node.html;jse
ssionid=3C84CFDE7B30683C6B9D13CFB54618AB.2_cid376
Farmers death #1
http://kurier.at/chronik/oberoesterreich/bauernsterben-verlangsamt-bio-betriebe-wachsen-weiter/756.312
Farmers death #2
http://www.nachrichten.at/nachrichten/wirtschaft/wirtschaftsraumooe/Bauernsterben-Jeder-vierte-Land-
wirt-hat-seit-1995-seinen-Betrieb-zugesperrt;art467,897193
Urban farm
http://www.urbanfarm.at
Farmsharing
http://wachstumsphase.wordpress.com
Shared gardening
http://www.gartenpolylog.org/de