ARTICLE FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE September 2022 55 THE FEED INDUSTRY MUST RE-THINK ITS RELATIONSHIPWITH R&D Global food insecurity is worsening at an alarming rate, further exacerbated by factors including the Covid-19 pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine. We need to explore new approaches to the issue as a matter of urgency. Dr David Bravo, Nutreco’s Chief Science officer, examines how the animal feed industry must adapt its thinking to shift the dial. It cannot be denied that the world has changed. The Covid-19 pandemic, conflict in Ukraine and extreme weather events have significantly impacted food production, food supply and food security across the globe. For more than 100 years, wealthy nations have largely believed in the myth that food is a cheap commodity. It’s not, and it never has been. Now, in light of the challenging economic, environmental and geopolitical conditions we face today, this truth stands out like a beacon. The environmental context in which we operate today is radically different from even a few years ago, and the speed of this evolution is having a major impact on food production. Not surprisingly, the traditional approaches of food production that we’ve utilized for so long will shortly become obsolete. We’re in the thick of a worsening crisis that will deteriorate further as we scramble to find ways of feeding an ever-growing global population, sustainably. There’s no single solution to the challenges we face, but certain courses of action are imperative. Among these is an urgent need to deliver genuinely new and radical thinking. This starts with a reappraisal of the methods of innovation. THE SHOCK OF THE NEW As a leading player in the animal feed industry, Nutreco has always been committed to innovation. Today, we have more than 265 scientists in research and development working across 12 different research units, and we collaborate with more than 200 research institutions worldwide. We’re proud of this commitment. We’re also very mindful of the need to stretch further – to innovate the process of innovation. This insight has led us to focus on building organisational ambidexterity, which means dedicating resources to both existing and new capabilities at the same time. Relying on traditional approaches to R&D won’t deliver the transformative impact that is required to support customers and to help build resilience in food supply chains across the world. Rather, an approach that focuses on building existing strengths David Bravo Chief Science Officer Nutreco
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