Adapting Brain Re-engineering in Food Systems Development can Promote
Dr. Ikechi Agbugba | Contributor on Agribusiness Topics
Some recent study on economic analysis published by research scholars at Oxford University and the London School of Economics posits that transforming the global food system could realize benefits of up to 10 trillion USD per year (University of Oxford, 2024).
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Food systems are referred to as the range of activities, elements, and networks that revolve around 4 pillars which are food production, processing, distribution, and consumption (City University of London, 2019). They include the 4 pillar effects on the environment, health, and economy.
Furthermore, activities around food systems development entail growing, processing, packaging, marketing, storing, and disposing of food. Also, it touches on energy, trade, and health systems, as well as diets, cultural practices, prices, and other factors that shape the demand and consumption of food. It can also involve some sub-system aspects which are farming, input supply systems, and managing food wastes and losses.
Importantly, some factors that can impact food systems include climate change, water availability, food inflation, poverty, unemployment, and low wages. Most of these are macroeconomic and limit production thereby leading to disruption of food systems thereby leading to food insecurity (HLPE, 2017).
Research on Mindset Change and the Younger Generation
Truly, research on mindset shifts can help people understand how to change how people think about social issues, which can result in changes in the structures & contexts that shape people’s experiences.
The BRECR strategy attempts to address the mindset issues the younger generation has about food chain security and agriculture through entrepreneurial initiatives, amalgamation of different technological solutions, sustainability, and circular economy initiatives, as well as amalgamation.
The younger generation is on the leading edge to building the ensuing the future of food systems in developing nations, but their interest in food chain security initiatives is poor and inefficient. In recent times, the role and interest of youngsters in food supply and value chain development has dwindled over the years mainly due to their wrong perception and mindset which can mostly drive some reasonable influence in changing their imprecise perception about agriculture, contribution to the food systems, and research.
However, sadly, the effort in rebranding food chain security and the entire food systems for youngsters and youths to still receive little or no attention, as well as participate in Africa due to the existence of social development upkeep and technological deficiency is still unaccomplished.
Hence, the BRECR model which promises to tackle the whole system issues to unlock their interest in such a way that they not just see themselves as part and parcel of the process but participate in either the upstream or in the downstream space in food systems initiatives all things remaining equal.
Adapting Brain Re-engineering in Food Systems Studies, Early Career Academics and Mentoring Options
Research can also provide recommendations for how to maximize the impact of efforts to change mindsets.
Prestigious York St. John University Research Alert on Brain Re-engineering Concept and Re-imagination can be adapted as a Strategy for Early Career Academics in Agriculture and Food Systems Research (see link – https://lnkd.in/e7zGjCrv).
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It can also be referred to as the Strategy for Rebranding Agriculture and Youth Engagement in Promoting Food Production (see link – https://lnkd.in/e3jj_DsN). Furthermore, reflecting on the Brain Re-engineering Concept for Early Career Academics’ Research and Development, it can be adapted as a Formal Institutionalized Mentoring Option in Africa (see link – https://lnkd.in/e2NreD_c)
According to Obehi Ewanfoh (see link – https://obehigroup.com/brain-re-engineering-concept/), Dr. Ikechi Kelechi Agbugba is a distinguished food and agro-economist whose work draws from his extensive expertise in project management, marketing, and business management.
In his video presentation of Dr Ikechi Agbugba, Mr Njieforti Princewill speaks on Brain Re-engineering as a model for changing the wrong mindset of youths towards agricultural development (see link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyeEqkk5Cx8).
Moreover, in his research gate page, Dr Ikechi Agbugba adapted brain re-engineering as a strategy for promoting ethics, values and inclusivity in food chain security (see link – https://www.researchgate.net/publication/382853954_Brain_Re-Engineering_Concept_Reimagination_Strategy_for_Promoting_Ethics_Values_Inclusivity_in_Food_Chain_Security).
Brain Re-engineering as Agribusiness Marketing Strategy: Focus on Food Supply and Value Chains
With huge potentials and investments in the agriculture sector for farmers among other key players in an agribusiness, could sometimes leverage on goal-oriented initiatives in providing reliable information on the right investment opportunities, to communicate on improvements in the business environment, and could present various services and advantages offered before and after investment.
In his lecture presentation, Dr Ikechi Agbugba presented Brain Re-engineering as an agribusiness marketing strategy (see link – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPOOz5rpRoY).
Brain re-engineering in agriculture and food security requires five approaches and components that hinge on addressing the perception issues about food insecurity. In essence, BR entails change of perception, ideation and entrepreneurship, amalgamation of different technological solutions, sustainability and circular economy, as well as social equity in public policy. Food chain security is interlinked and can be unlocked and driven by BR.
Food chain security which is a proxy for measuring progress or prosperity of an economy can be substantiated, realized or even actualized using BR. Therefore, BR is a policy initiative that unlocks entrepreneurial spirit, technology advancement, sustainability, equity and inclusivity. Hence, the BR in food chain security is theorized.
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A holistic view of Brain re-engineering is essential in food supply and for value chain development. Adapting BR to food chain security is a sustainability mindset which enables farmers, brokers, actors of food chain security to make healthy decisions by considering the impact of their actions on the food supply, value chains and systems in a futuristic perspective. It is a holistic model that tackles social, environmental and economic bottlenecks.
Youth Engagement and Entrepreneurship in Food Chain Security
Youth engagement in food chain security initiatives is essential and critical for growth and to strengthen local food systems, feeding communities and providing gainful employment opportunities for the world’s booming youth population.
Entrepreneurship in FCS offers a transformative opportunity to generate income, create jobs, and establish multiple sources of livelihood. The role of youths in digital agriculture is streamlined in such a way that automated workflows have become invaluable for teams in the agriculture industry.
FCS and entrepreneurship not only generate decent work opportunities but also strengthens communities and drives inclusive economic growth. It is of great essence to bridge the gap to provide avenues for youth to embark on food chain security initiatives.
One of the striking merits in unlocking brain re-engineering at a young age is the opportunity to acquire valuable skills such as teamwork, networking, problem-solving, critical thinking, innovation, and self-discipline, cultivated through entrepreneurship, have far-reaching benefits.
These values, skills, ethics contribute to improved performance in academics and become invaluable assets and make for inclusiveness, as well as inclusivity throughout life.
Conclusion
The importance of promoting or leveraging on Brain Re-engineering for young professionals cannot be over emphasized and would largely unlock agricultural development. the concept of brain re-engineering and reimagination which underscores it as a prospective strategy for enhancing nations through women empowerment, youth engagement, among other areas on food chain security initiatives when practiced ethically, valuably and inclusively, in order to unlock transformation in an economy.
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It emphasizes on harnessing the potential of women and youths by redirecting their energy and innovative capabilities towards modernized food chain practices which much have some touch of inclusivity, ethics and value. Through this, it aims to foster a generation of leaders in food supply and value chains to drive the needed transformation, it were.
REFERENCES
Agbugba, I.K. (2024a) Brain Re-Engineering Concept and Reimagination: Strategy for Early Career Academics in Agriculture and Food Systems Research. In: Ndofirepi, A., Pietersen, D., Sepeng, P., Fru, R., Alan, F. & Mapuya, M. (eds.) Early Career Academics in Educational Research. African Higher Education: Developments and Perspectives (18). BRILL, 62-83. Available at: https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/id/eprint/11147/
Agbugba, I.K. (2024b). Brain Re-engineering Concept and Reimagination: Strategy for Promoting Ethics, Values & Inclusivity in Food Chain Security. Journal of Family and Society Research, 3 (1), 8 – 24. Available at:
Agbugba, I.K. & Okoye, F. I. (2024) Early Career Academics’ Development in Africa: Reflections on the Brain Re-Engineering Concept as Formal Institutionalised Mentoring Options. In: Ndofirepi, A., Pietersen, D., Sepeng, P., Fru, R., Alan, F. & Mapuya, M. (eds.) Early Career Academics in Educational Research. African Higher Education: Developments and Perspectives (18). BRILL, 138-162. Available at: https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/id/eprint/11148/
Agbugba, I.K. (2023a). Brain Re-engineering Concept and Reimagination: Strategy form Rebranding Agriculture and Youth Engagement in Promoting Food Production. European Modern Studies Journal, 7(5), 213 – 223.
Agbugba, I.K. (2023b). Brain Re-Engineering Concept and Reimagination in the Agriculture Sector: A Veritable Business Model for Entrepreneurship Development and Youth Engagement in Agriculture. Keynote Address Presented at the International Conference on Business Models in Agriculture (IBMA), Kigali Convention Centre, 27-29 March, 2023. Available at: https://twitter.com/IBMAConference/status/1640698255745875969
https://www.ibmaconference.org/speakers
Agbugba, I.K. (2023c). Youth Brain Re-engineering: Developing Agricultural Entrepreneurship in Africa. Available at: https://agrifoodnetworks.org/article/youth-brain-re-engineering-developing-agricultural-entrepreneurship-in-afri
Agbugba, I.K. (2020). Dr Ikechi Agbugba being interviewed by Dick Veerman Africa: ‘Africa needs to develop both its agriculture and food processing industry.’ 15-08-2020. Available at: https://agrifoodnetworks.org/article/africa-needs-to-develop-both-its-agriculture-and-food-processing-industry
City University of London (2019). Rethinking Food Policy: A Fresh Approach to Policy and Practice. Available at: https://www.city.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/570442/7643_Brief-2_What-is-the-food-system-A-food-policy-perspective_WEB_SP.pdf
HLPE (2017). Nutrition and Food Systems: A Report by the High-Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition of the Committee on World Food Security. Rome, Italy.
Parsons K, Hawkes C, Wells R. Brief (2019). What is the food system? A Food policy perspective. In: Rethinking Food Policy: A Fresh Approach to Policy and Practice. London: Centre for Food Policy.
University of Oxford (2024). Fixing the broken food system would unlock trillions of dollars in benefits, study finds. University of Oxford and London School of Economics, 24th January 2024.Available at https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2024-01-29-fixing-broken-food-system-would-unlock-trillions-dollars-benefits-study-finds#:~:text=A%20new%20economic%20analysis%20published,be%20relatively%20small%20in%20comparison.
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