Indonesia, Japan and Australia

I've spent the last two incredible months travelling around the world experiencing very different farming systems, policy environments and cultures.
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My love for farming and the extraordinary people at its centre, hasn’t changed, if anything intensified, but the way in which I view farming and its role globally, has changed entirely.

A huge motivation of my Nuffield journey has been to look at ways in which farming can step outside it’s echo chamber and better engage with wider society and various stakeholders, but I didn’t realise how much this also applied to myself.

I love Scotland and I’m immensely proud of the high quality food we produce, the innovative ways in which we are adapting our systems and our deep connection to the land and preserving it for future generations, but I realise from travelling how much bigger the challenges are facing other countries in terms of climate pressures and social inequalities and how too often we are unaware of the scale and pace of these threats as we are so focused on our own doorstep.

Indonesia made me realise how privileged we are to be able to focus on our net zero targets and driving the highest standards of animal welfare, whilst they struggle to produce enough food to feed over 248 million people and lift whole communities out of poverty. There is little room for comparison or criticism and nor should there be.

Japan, albeit a leading light in embracing innovative technologies and a brilliant example of adding significant value to food, similarly to Indonesia, I was equally shocked to discover their government’s huge commitment to boosting food security, incentivising/subsidising farmers to grow and produce more, with little to no consideration of the environment.

I was already aware that Australian farmers were on the frontline of climate change but it was eye opening to hear from farmers first-hand the impact weather events such as cyclones, wildfires and droughts have had in wiping out crops and livelihoods, not to mention disease pressures in areas such as bananas, which has forced many to change production.

We can all set individual targets and play our own small part in tackling the biodiversity and climate crises but ultimately it will come down to a global unified effort which will require us to work together and be sympathetic to one another’s unique circumstances and challenges, as no one can be left behind on this journey.

I am so grateful to have been able to kick off this amazing Nuffield adventure, meeting some extraordinary people who have opened my eyes to new ways of thinking and  I cannot wait for the months of travel and discovery that lie ahead.