World’s population is growing, so is the plastic wastes that people produce. According to the United Nations estimates, annually more than 8 million tons of plastics flow into the oceans.

Western Cape farmers have built Africa’s first commercial floating solar park – it now let’s them tackle load shedding and drought. They say it’s a better investment than a new orchard.   

The Department of Agriculture in the Western Cape is at the forefront of using technology to enhance sustainable farming, and as part of its initiative to embrace the fourth industrial revolution, has introduced Sentinel-2 earth observation technology.

From 3D printing to blockchain, automation to predictive analytics, the fourth industrial revolution is changing how the manufacturing industry is operating. However, with this rapid transformation comes manufacturing talent challenges, exacerbated by an industry that has struggled to recruit the right people.

Weed management provides an excellent example of the latest innovation and evolution. The main driver is there has not been a new herbicide group since 1992 (HPPD inhibitors, group 27), and researchers say it takes at least 10 years to develop a new herbicide and get regulatory approval. 

The Future of Food 2040 report, to be officially launched at the NFU Conference on 19 February, looks into the future to explore what the landscape of British food and farming will look like in 20 years.