threat to rural small-scale producers , particularly poor and vulnerable communities . This pressure comes through increasingly frequent extreme weather events such as droughts , storms , and floods , as well as gradual changes such as shorter rainy seasons , delayed onset of rain , rising sea levels , and melting glaciers .”
Facing this complex combination of risk factors , it ’ s clear to see why food producers and other stakeholders within the food supply chain need financing from a reliable partner like Rabobank . “ We are the biggest bank around the world in food and agri , and we deal with all the players in the food value chain – from the farmer up to Walmart ,” Leurs says . “ We see that , with a growing population plus issues around sustainability and being able to feed the world within the bounds of the planet , there ’ s really a role for us as a bank .” Part of Rabobank ’ s role in that mission is supporting the food producers it works with to be able to play their part in the fight against climate change , and , in particular , stick to the Paris Accord goal of keeping global warming below + 1.5 ° C compared to pre-industrial levels . As well as providing financing and knowhow , Rabobank also encourages companies to play their role in the green transition by nurturing accelerated innovation .
“ At this point , more than 60 % of our innovation projects are geared towards that transition ,” Leurs elaborates , “ towards making the food value chain more effective and more sustainable in the future .”
Empowering the energy and agri-food transitions In the same report , the FAO also pinpoints energy security as a major global concern . The two are very closely linked ; food production is a resourceintensive industry , meaning fluctuations in wholesale energy prices – as we have been seeing since the beginning of the war in Ukraine – have a major impact on farmers , growers , and food producers .
“ Agri-food systems are becoming more energyintensive ,” the FAO report says , “ and this has implications for food prices , as well as for the environment . On the one hand , several studies have highlighted the relationship between energy and food prices , and the recent hikes in food prices have been pushed up by increases in energy prices . On the other hand , it has been estimated that almost a
“ YOU CAN ONLY BE SUCCESSFUL AND
IMPACTFUL ON INNOVATION WHEN IT ’ S LINKED TO THE
MISSION AND STRATEGY OF YOUR ORGANISATION ”
BART LEURS CHIEF INNOVATION &
TECHNOLOGY OFFICER , RABOBANK
88 fintechmagazine . com | June 2023