Farming has always been a labour of love. It’s not just a job, it’s a lifestyle, and we understand that farmers dedicate their whole lives to ensuring the future of their farms is fruitful. But with the increase of natural disasters, social and economic changes and the advancement of technology, where does the future of agriculture lie?
Natural disasters
The bushfires of 2019/2020 were a stark reminder of the fierce nature natural disasters can have on agriculture. From devastating loss of stock and complete devastation to farmer’s crops, the fires caused a major impact on the livelihoods of many. As the planet gets hotter due to global warming, natural disasters like fires, floods and draught are hypothesised to become a more common element we will have to live with. According to the CSIRO ‘Record-warm monthly and seasonal temperatures have been observed in recent years, made more likely by climate change. We expect climate change to alter the likelihood of extreme events such as heatwaves, fires, droughts, and floods.’ Due to this, factoring in the risk that natural disaster events could impact agricultural businesses is a wise step as we move into the future.
Social and economic changes
It’s not only natural disasters that we need to consider when it comes to agriculture, but the economic and social impacts seen by events such as the pandemic. Many farmers rely heavily on overseas workers to pick harvests to be readied for shelves and the end consumer. With border closures something we’re used to living with in 2021, one must ask the question when it will be that overseas workers are permitted to return to our farms. It’s no question that farmers have suffered economic loss due to the lack of help available, and with no guarantees it will be available once vaccination rates are higher in Australia, sourcing help from people on home soil may be the solution to future-proofing your harvests.
Technology
Although farmers are the experts of their land, technological advances have already arrived to make the job easier. Coined as ‘smart farming’, new technology such as field robots reduce the labour farmers need to partake and increase the accuracy and productivity of crop yields according to Future Farming. Whether you’re jumping on the tech farming bandwagon or not, there’s no denying that more technological options are here to stay (and more to come). The job of the farmer will never be replaced, but considering how technology can assist your agricultural business is something to consider as we look toward the future.
It’s evident that we are living in turbulent times, but something you can rely on staying consistent is your insurance. Ensuring you have the right conversations with your insurer to put the right policy’s in place will allow you to have peace of mind that you can plan ahead comfortably. Our team’s wealth of knowledge in all things agriculture will help you to discover which insurance options are right for you – contact us today.