The sustainable and profitable maximization of societal and individuals benefits derived from renewable resources:
- Feeding a population of 9 billion without undermining the viability and long-term sustainability of natural resources
- Applying the best science and management techniques available to traceability
- Alienation of urban citizens (consumers) from producers of feedstock for food, renewable fuels, plant-based materials, phyto-pharmaceuticals, etc., resulting in:
- disinterest in farming as an occupation
- reduction in number of students and researchers of agricultural production
- polarization of views (i.e. not very nuanced, not very accepting of alternate views) around the use of advanced science in the use of agricultural resources (e.g., the GMO debate)
- paving over of farmland
- Attracting human and financial investment in intellectual capital required for profitable and sustainable primary production
- Challenge to maintain the size of the arable land base, let alone its health, in the face of urban and suburban growth.
- Decreasing health costs by increasing prevalence of healthy diets, use of functional foods and nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals based on agricultural derived ingredients
- Employing waste or previously unused byproducts to meet individual or societal needs
- Building bridges, crossing barriers between government policy departments (silos) and between governments
- Producing energy for economic growth
- Profitability along all parts of the various value chains or “food systems”
- Adaptation to climate change
- Harnessing the best science available
- Tackling biodiversity, invasive species and emerging diseases
- Producing sufficient food, fuel, fibre and pharmaceuticals to meet needs of growing urban and affluent consumers
- Food security globally
- Fostering interest in the agro-economy before it is too late
- Fostering multidisciplinary and multi-sectoral collaboration in problem solving