US (CA): Innovation in agrifood supply chains

The global food and beverage industry is facing some of the most pressing global challenges of our times including water scarcity, resource depletion, food insecurity and climate change. Companies face risks in securing quality inputs for their business, even as they need to adapt to rapidly changing market preferences. Growing attention, by consumers and investors, to food safety, transparency and sustainability is adding a new dynamic to the industry. Employing millions of people globally, the agrifood sector is also addressing challenges such as poor labor practices and human rights issues.

There is growing consensus that creating a sustainable food production and consumption system requires holistic solutions that encompass the entire supply chain. Innovation holds the key to unleashing the transformative potential of supply chains, while enhancing profitability, sustainability and social well being. These innovations can range from developing new technologies and processes, to producing goods and services in new ways, to discovering fundamentally new business models.

Recognizing the importance of innovation in agrifood supply chains, UC Berkeley, in collaboration with Solidaridad North America, has designed a comprehensive two-day training workshop which will examine the social, economic and environmental aspects of agrifood supply chains and their potential for innovation.

This program brings together top-notch faculty and researchers from premier academic institutions, industry leaders who are driving innovation in their organizations, and civil society organizations that have changed the agricultural landscape, to present insights on global trends in supply chain innovation, processes, challenges and success factors.

Participants will hear from practitioners, including farmers and entrepreneurs, and representatives of philanthropic organizations and non-profits, who are at the forefront of driving innovation in global agrifood supply chains.

The program will also include hands-on case working sessions to facilitate shared problem-solving and consolidation of concepts covered in the program.

For more information:
iep.berkeley.edu/content/innovation-agrifood-supply-chains-people-planet-profitability

Publication date: Mon 23 Oct 2017