There are almost 8,000 million mouths to feed in the world, and although there may be huge advances in technology, ultimately, only one figure which can rise to such a monumental challenge – the farmer. It is not an easy role, not just because of the difficulty of the task in itself, but because of an unending list of nuances that make the responsibility of being a farmer an absolute odyssey, such as legislation, sustainability or profitability – things that the farmer faces every day, despite the advantages that science has to offer.

The main role when it comes to feeding people: the farmer

Despite all the progress in food safety, engineering and even biotechnology, the role of the farmer is still irreplaceable. The main reason, as the FAO explains, is probably because farmers continue to be main providers of food sources and certain raw materials in the world. On a planet whose population is constantly increasing, the farmer is the only person capable of supplying people with their basic needs.

At this moment in time, farming is still the main source of nourishment, income and raw materials throughout the world. It cannot be repeated often enough – the farmer still plays the main part when it comes to feeding the world.

The challenge of agriculture for a more sustainable world

Farmers face many complex challenges every day; from the problem of resources to the profitability of the harvest, as well as legal questions and environmental problems, not to mention the demand for higher quality food. 

Facing up to these problems and doing so sustainably is not easy, but it is necessary in order to ensure a future for agriculture. Among the main environmental problems is the over exploitation of resources and contamination due to inadequate use of agricultural techniques.

Accordingto FAO,water shortage problems in irrigated agriculture and a lack of water in rainfed agriculture, as well as the number of people affected by this, are the most pressing. The need to fertilize crops to produce the amount of food needed, can lead to contamination of water sources, thereby decreasing its availability and affecting soil health.

Science and technology advance at the service of the farmer

For all of the afore-mentioned, the farmer is part of an important happening – the advances being made in science and technology. The needs that the sector is facing, as well as its intrinsic value for society, are what drive biotechnological, engineering, chemical, physical and biological development, in the search for better results.

In Probelte we understand the worry there is and the need to find complete preventative and palliative solutions for crops and agricultural soil. Solutions such as biological fertilizers, or natural phytosanitary products which are respectful of the environment. Our aim is for the farmer to have the tools needed to ensure quality food on the table throughout the planet. Because, in order to feed the planet, the role of science and technology is huge, as is, of course, that of farmers.