A new year begins and, although it sounds like a cliché, it is important to know what we can expect from it. From 2023. For this reason, as we have done on other occasions, we are talking about the key trends for agriculture for the year we started. And it is that how to deal with the various situations that affect our crops is closely linked to these challenges and, of course, to the new opportunities that the growing research that exists around the products that are used in the field opens up.

One of the challenges for producers is to continue ensuring the sustainability of crops; we must be aware of climate change and its effects. Parasites, diseases, pathogens… are closely linked to changing weather and we must be prepared for it. Every day, every year.

1

Digital tools

The incorporation of new technologies and the shortage of specialized labor is a reality. The lack of generational relief, already evident for years, is driving the automation of numerous farms. Investment in technology is managing to increase the efficiency of crops and in 2023 this trend, constant in the last decade, will continue and continue to consolidate.

The digitization of the field will continue to grow in 2023, thanks to tools such as

• Controlled and precision irrigation
• Real-time data management to know the state of the crop and make better decisions
• The use of drones for any task that requires precision greater than that of the human eye and significantly improve crop yields
• The use of smart devices to monitor all operations and understand patterns such as rainfall and water cycles

2

Foodtech and the digitization of the value chain

Talking about agriculture is talking about agribusiness. And it is there where, linked to the digital revolution that agriculture is experiencing, it is inevitable to mention what many call foodtech. By this we refer to the application of technology to food production. According to the Eatable Adventures report ‘The State of FoodTech in Spain 2022‘, Spain has established itself as a ‘Foodtech Nation’, reaching an investment of 268 million euros and positioning itself as the fourth agri-food power in Europe.

3

The consumer wants health and sustainability

Agricultural production would not make sense without talking about consumption habits. And, as has been the case for several years, consumers are increasingly sure that there will be no future without healthy and sustainable food. The use of natural solutions in the fields is key for food production to meet this demand. Zero residue agriculture, in which MAFA has been working for more than a decade, more than covers this need. And it is focused on responding to those healthy, responsible and waste-free consumption habits that continue to grow year after year.

4

Attention to the environment

Related to the above is another trend that, in reality, is already a constant in the way of practicing agriculture that has been developing for some time now. To guarantee food for the growing world population, the world will need to produce between 60% and 70% more by 2050. This objective becomes a challenge if we want to prioritize caring for the environment. But at MAFA we believe that it is possible using biofertilizers and biostimulants that do not generate waste. And that, furthermore, they are based on nature itself, on its wisdom, to become effective solutions to the most common crop problems, without thereby reducing production yield.

5

And the new CAP

Nor can we finish this review of the trends that will mark this 2023 without referring to the entry into force of the law that regulates the management system of the new CAP. The new Common Agricultural Policy, although not a trend as such, is considered by many to be the most focused on sustainability and environmental protection to date. And, therefore, it also confirms that trend towards the sustainability of crops that has been consolidating for several years.

The new management of the European Union’s resources for agriculture will affect more than 630,000 farmers and ranchers in our country.

May the year 2023 come loaded with good news for agriculture and its professionals!😊