One of the emerging sectors to watch closely is precision agriculture. With the world's population continuing to grow and the environment coming under greater stress, smarter farming is crucial for food security, health, and perhaps even peace.
I'm an outsider, but precision agriculture seems to be showing the typical signs of a movement torn between technology and business leadership. On the one hand, advances in precision ag will be driven by the invention and implementation of new sensors, networks, and apps – so it makes sense for technologists to be taking the lead. But on the other hand, the success of the technology is firmly allied to innovation in supply chains – to change throughout the business ecosystem – which suggests a need for a more commercial or managerial leadership style.
Of course, both drivers are necessary, so some kind of joint leadership is required. It won't be an easy relationship, because the dynamic will change over time. The way to steer a steady course is to focus with laser-like intensity on the data. The reason for the tech is the data; and the promise of the core business idea is also the data. Funder
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