Farming in 2035: Why the Next Decade Belongs to Smart, Resilient Farmers

What will agriculture look like ten years from now?

According to the new OECD - FAO Agricultural Outlook 2026 - 2035, the future of farming is not defined by shortages - it is defined by transformation. While the world will need to feed more people with fewer natural resources, the report predicts that global agriculture can meet this challenge through higher productivity, innovation, and smarter

use of technology rather than simply expanding farmland.

For farmers, this is both reassuring and challenging.

The Outlook forecasts that global demand for food will continue to grow as populations increase and incomes rise, particularly in middle-income countries. As diets improve, demand for meat, dairy products, fish, fruits, and vegetables is also expected to increase. This creates new market opportunities for producers who can deliver quality products efficiently and sustainably.

The good news is that productivity - not land expansion - will drive most of the world's agricultural growth over the next decade. Better genetics, precision farming, digital technologies, improved irrigation, automation, and data-driven decision-making are expected to produce more food while using fewer resources. In other words, future success will depend less on owning more hectares and more on producing smarter.

But farming has never been only about producing crops.

Today's farmer is becoming a business manager, climate strategist, technology user, and market analyst all at once. Weather extremes, labour shortages, volatile input prices, and changing consumer expectations mean that profitability increasingly depends on adaptability rather than tradition.

One encouraging message from the Outlook is that international agricultural prices are expected to remain relatively stable over the long term because productivity improvements should broadly keep pace with growing demand. Stable markets provide farmers with greater confidence to invest in machinery, irrigation systems, renewable energy, storage facilities, and digital solutions.

However, the report also delivers an important warning.

Agriculture remains highly vulnerable to external shocks. Geopolitical tensions, energy prices, fertiliser costs, trade disruptions, and extreme weather can quickly alter market conditions. The Outlook includes a scenario showing that higher energy and fertiliser prices could reduce cereal production, particularly in lower-income countries, while increasing food prices worldwide.

For farmers, this reinforces one essential lesson: resilience is becoming just as valuable as productivity.

Resilience means investing in healthier soils, efficient water management, crop diversification, modern machinery, digital monitoring, renewable energy, and stronger risk management. Farmers who can adapt quickly will be better prepared to protect both yields and profits when unexpected events occur.

The next decade will also bring significant opportunities through innovation. Artificial intelligence, satellite monitoring, robotics, precision application technologies, and biological solutions are moving from research into everyday farming. These technologies are no longer futuristic concepts - they are becoming practical business tools that improve efficiency while reducing costs and environmental impact.

Perhaps the most important message of the OECD - FAO Outlook is one of optimism.

The future does not belong only to the largest farms or the biggest investors. It belongs to producers who continuously learn, embrace innovation, and make informed decisions. Whether managing 50 hectares or 5,000, the farmers who combine practical experience with modern technology will be the ones leading agriculture into 2035.

The next decade will certainly bring uncertainty. But it will also reward those who see change not as a threat—but as their greatest opportunity.

The role of Agriventures in supporting agrifood innovation

As the agritech startup ecosystem grows across Europe, initiatives such as Agriventures are helping connect entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, and policymakers working in agriculture and food innovation.

Agriventures focuses on supporting agrifood startups, biotechnology innovation, and access to European funding for agriculture, while also helping entrepreneurs navigate the complex landscape of startup financing, venture capital, and research commercialization.

By strengthening connections between startups, research institutions, investors, and farmers, Agriventures contributes to building a stronger agricultural innovation ecosystem that can accelerate the transition toward sustainable agriculture and resilient food systems.

Through knowledge sharing, events, and ecosystem building, Agriventures helps ensure that promising agritech innovations can scale and reach farmers, food producers, and global markets.

More information: https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/oecd-fao-agricultural-outlook-2026-2035_47874669-en/full-report/agricultural-and-food-markets-trends-and-prospects_c5cd366b.html#section-d1e1643-c72609b137