The success of controlled-environment agriculture (CEA) will require collaboration, standardisation, and localisation, with execution taking priority over proprietary technology, say experts. During a panel discussion at the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit held in Dubai last month, a panel of emphasised the importance of collaboration in the CEA sector.
Fadi Sbaiti, General Manager of Khalifa University's AgX Center for AgriTech and Plant Science, noted that early attempts to hoard technology and know-how in order to dominate the market failed.
"The frontrunners drove their own industry over the cliff. They wanted to own everything, and they were running to be the big unicorn that would go into IPO and make billions. The industry right now is more realistic and more disillusioned about this, and the way forward is collaboration," he said Tisha Livingstone, president of 80 Acres Farms, echoed his views and said competitive advantage comes from execution and operational excellence, rather than exclusive technology.
"To be able to provide food and food supply, you have to be able to start collaborating. We can't be afraid to share we have or try to protect it, because everybody needs it. Where you win is executing every single day. You don't really win on developing some special technology that you're going to hide from everybody else," she said.
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