Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
Nourishing Stability
With the world population growing exponentially every year, being able to consistently provide families with the food they need to sustain themselves is an increasingly pressing policy issue. Not only because acute nourishment needs have to be met, but also because a lack of food security negatively impacts social stability. In developing countries in particular, factors such as climate change, unsustainable agriculture infrastructures, and insufficient government capacity to deal with shortages, can easily destabilise states or entire regions. Providing citizens and governments with better tools and knowledge to guarantee their food security is a key objective of GOPA's agriculture, finance and food experts.
From Soil to Shelf
Before food can be displayed on store shelves or market stalls, a lot of planning, effort and resources have gone into its journey. Whether it is the farmer on whose land the crops are grown, the manufacturer of the packaging that will keep them fresh, or the local transport entrepreneur that delivers the final product, all are working hard to fulfill their crafts to the best of their abilities. While these young men and women are specialised professionals on the one hand, they are business owners on the other, who are united by an integrated production cycle that we call Agribusiness.
Supporting Local Entrepreneurs
As business owners, they are not only responsible for all that goes into a production process; they also have to think about things like marketing, finances, their roles and responsibilities as an employer, and ways to optimise their value chains. These factors pose a challenge to ventures of all sizes and in all parts of the world, but even more so to small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition countries. With approximately 80 active projects around the globe, our dedicated consultants are there to support agriculture and finance opportunities every step of the way.
Turning the tide
It is with good cause that SDG 14, ‘life below water’, advocates concrete action against the effects of overfishing, the pollution of the world’s oceans and the decline of marine biodiversity. The importance of preserving our world’s seas and oceans cannot be overstated for the near or distant future; they are a dwindling natural resource and the inspiration of conflicts; the motor of the global ecosystem; and a key solution to feeding the ever-growing global population. The Consultants for Fishery, Aquaculture and Regional Development (COFAD) are the GOPA Group’s expert division that implements sustainable solutions to these challenges worldwide.
Moving Towards a Shared and Sustainable Future
The rapid expansion of the world population and the ensuing rise in demand for food and housing also results in the increasing exploitation of natural resources and destruction of natural environments worldwide. This includes deforestation, reduction of wetland, deterioration of coastal systems, soil degradation and the extinction of species. It is therefore a pressing policy issue to find a balance between human wellbeing, safeguarding the environment and adapting to climate change.
By promoting participatory and integral approaches, our Rural Development and Environment consultants contribute to a solid basis of sustainable natural resources and environmental management for future generations to build on.
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