Businesses: A Growing World

A global population reaching 9 billion by 2050, 70% urbanized and generally enjoying higher living standards, will generate unprecedented demand for food and agricultural products - 1.5 billion metric tons of additional grains and oilseeds alone.

Government policies promoting biofuels will add to total demand, which will need to be met in the face of supply constraints: limited arable land, competition for fresh water and restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions.

It is a daunting outlook that requires a broad approach - a "big tent" that accomodates a variety of viewpoints and encourages contributions from every part of society.

Bunge, as a facilitator of global trade and an integrated producer of trusted, high-quality products, has a clear role to play, and we are committed to being part of the solution. We are investing every day to make our operations more efficient, safe and sustainable, while engaging with stakeholders and civil society to promote common approaches, including:

Greater, more efficient production

More effective use of crop nutrients, innovations in seed technology and larger numbers of people embracing these advances around the world will be essential to achieve successes like those of the small farmer near our plant in India, who tripled his yield by using agricultural practices learned in an outreach program we support, or those of large-scale farmers in the U.S., who are growing a ton of corn on 37% less land and a ton of soy with 65% less energy than they were in the 1980s.

Increased trade

With 70% of the world residing in cities by 2050 and billions living in water constrained areas, more people will rely on commercial food production for their daily needs. At the same time, competition for land and necessary environmental conservation will constrain agricultural expansion. Trade will help ensure that the most agriculturally productive areas - places like South America, which has over 10 times the per capita water resources of Asia - can supply other regions efficiently.

Investment in infrastructure

We can’t have a more efficient supply chain without greater private and public investment in the infrastructure that makes it work. Unfortunately, spending on infrastructure as a percentage of GDP in the U.S. and Brazil - two of the world's principal breadbaskets - is less than it was in the 1960s and 1970s, respectively.

You can read more about our views and the results of our collaboration by clicking on the links at the right.