I-Leaps by Bayer, ingxenye yokutshalwa kwezimali okunomthelela ye-Bayer AG, itshala imali emaqenjini ukuze ifinyelele intuthuko eyisisekelo emikhakheni yesayensi yezinto eziphilayo kanye neminye imikhakha yesayensi yokuphila. Eminyakeni eyisishiyagalombili edlule, inkampani itshale imali engaphezu kwezigidigidi zamaRandi eziyi-1.7 emabhizinisini angaphezu kwama-55.
U-PJ Amini, uMqondisi Omkhulu kwa-Leaps by Bayer kusukela ngo-2019, wabelana ngemibono yakhe ngokutshalwa kwezimali kwenkampani kwezobuchwepheshe bezinto eziphilayo kanye nezitayela embonini yezinto eziphilayo.
I-Leaps by Bayer itshale imali ezinkampanini eziningana zokukhiqiza izitshalo eziqhubekayo eminyakeni embalwa edlule. Yiziphi izinzuzo lezi zimali ezizilethayo eBayer?
Esinye sezizathu ezenza senze lokhu kutshalwa kwezimali ukubheka ukuthi singazitholaphi ubuchwepheshe obuthuthukisiwe obusebenza ezindaweni zocwaningo esingazithinti ngaphakathi kwezindonga zethu. Iqembu le-Bayer's Crop Science R&D lichitha u-$2.9B minyaka yonke ngaphakathi ngamakhono alo ocwaningo nokuthuthukiswa ahamba phambili emhlabeni, kodwa kusekuningi okwenzekayo ngaphandle kwezindonga zalo.
Isibonelo senye yezindlela zethu zokutshala imali yi-CoverCress, ehilelekile ekuhleleni izakhi zofuzo nokudala isivuno esisha, i-PennyCress, esivunwa ukuze kukhiqizwe uhlelo olusha lokukhiqiza uwoyela olune-carbon index ephansi, okuvumela abalimi ukuthi bakhule isivuno emjikelezweni wabo wasebusika phakathi kommbila nesoya. Ngakho-ke, kunenzuzo kwezomnotho kubalimi, kudala umthombo kaphethiloli oqhubekayo, kusiza ekuthuthukiseni impilo yenhlabathi, futhi kunikeza okuthile okuhambisana nemikhuba yabalimi, kanye neminye imikhiqizo yezolimo esiyinikezayo ngaphakathi kweBayer. Ukucabanga ngendlela le mikhiqizo eqhubekayo esebenza ngayo ohlelweni lwethu olubanzi kubalulekile.
Uma ubheka ezinye zezinye izimali zethu esikhaleni sokufafaza ngokunemba, sinezinkampani, njenge-Guardian Agriculture kanye ne-Rantizo, ezibheka ukusetshenziswa okunembe kakhudlwana kobuchwepheshe bokuvikela izitshalo. Lokhu kugcwalisa iphothifoliyo yokuvikela izitshalo ye-Bayer futhi kuhlinzeka nekhono lokuthuthukisa izinhlobo ezintsha zezindlela zokuvikela izitshalo ezihlose ukusetshenziswa okuphansi ngisho nangesikhathi esizayo.
Uma sifuna ukuqonda kangcono imikhiqizo nokuthi isebenzisana kanjani nenhlabathi, ukuba nezinkampani esitshale kuzo imali, njenge-ChrysaLabs, ese-Canada, kusinika ukuqonda okungcono kwenhlabathi. Ngakho-ke, singafunda ngendlela imikhiqizo yethu, kungaba imbewu, ikhemistri, noma i-biological, esebenza ngayo ngokuhlobene ne-ecosystem yenhlabathi. Kumelwe ukwazi ukukala inhlabathi, kokubili izingxenye zayo eziphilayo nezingaphili.
Ezinye izinkampani, njenge-Sound Agriculture noma i-Andes, zifuna ukunciphisa umanyolo wokwenziwa kanye nokukhipha ikhabhoni, okuhambisana nephothifoliyo ebanzi yeBayer namuhla.
Uma utshala imali ezinkampanini ze-bio-ag, yiziphi izici zalezi zinkampani ezibaluleke kakhulu ukuzihlola? Yiziphi izindlela ezisetshenziswayo ukuhlola amandla enkampani? Noma yiluphi ulwazi olubaluleke kakhulu?
Kithina, isimiso sokuqala yiqembu elihle kanye nobuchwepheshe obuhle kakhulu.
Ezinkampanini eziningi ze-ag-tech ezisebenza endaweni ye-bio, kunzima kakhulu ukufakazela ukusebenza kahle kwemikhiqizo yazo kusenesikhathi. Kodwa yilapho esiluleka khona izinkampani eziningi ezintsha ukuthi zigxile futhi zenze imizamo emikhulu. Uma lokhu kuyi-biological, uma ubheka ukuthi kuzosebenza kanjani ensimini, kuzosebenza endaweni eyinkimbinkimbi kakhulu futhi eguquguqukayo. Ngakho-ke, kubalulekile ukwenza izivivinyo ezifanele ngokulawula okuhle okusethwe elebhu noma ekamelweni lokukhula kusenesikhathi. Lezi zivivinyo zingakutshela ukuthi umkhiqizo usebenza kanjani ezimweni ezinhle kakhulu, okuyidatha ebalulekile ukuyikhiqiza kusenesikhathi ngaphambi kokuthatha leso sinyathelo esibizayo sokuqhubekela ezivivinyweni zensimu ebanzi ngaphandle kokwazi inguqulo engcono kakhulu yomkhiqizo wakho.
Uma ubheka imikhiqizo yezinto eziphilayo namuhla, kwamabhizinisi amasha afuna ukubambisana neBayer, ithimba lethu le-Open Innovation Strategic Partnership linamaphakheji emiphumela yedatha akhethekile esiwafunayo uma sifuna ukuzibandakanya.
Kodwa ikakhulukazi uma sibheka ukutshalwa kwezimali, ukubheka lawo maphuzu obufakazi bokusebenza kahle nokuba nezilawuli ezinhle, kanye nokuhlola okufanele maqondana nemikhuba emihle yezentengiselwano, yilokho esikufunayo ngempela.
Kuthatha isikhathi esingakanani kusukela ku-R&D kuya ekuthengisweni kwezolimo ukuze kutholakale ulwazi oludingekayo ngezolimo? Lesi sikhathi singafinyezwa kanjani?
Ngifisa sengathi ngingasho ukuthi kunesikhathi esiqondile esithathayo. Ukuze ngithole umongo, bengilokhu ngibheka izinto eziphilayo kusukela osukwini lapho iMonsanto neNovozymes babambisana khona kwenye yezindawo zokuthola amagciwane ezinkulu kakhulu emhlabeni iminyaka eminingana. Futhi phakathi naleso sikhathi, kwakukhona izinkampani, njenge-Agradis ne-AgriQuest, ezazizama ukuba ngamaphayona ekulandeleni leyo ndlela yokulawula, zithi, "Kusithatha iminyaka emine. Kusithatha iminyaka eyisithupha. Kusithatha eyisishiyagalombili." Eqinisweni, ngingathanda ukukunikeza uhla kunenombolo ethile. Ngakho-ke, unemikhiqizo esukela eminyakeni emihlanu kuya kweyisishiyagalombili ukuze ufike emakethe.
Futhi uma uqhathanisa, ukuthuthukisa isici esisha, kungathatha iminyaka engaba yishumi futhi cishe kuzobiza ngaphezu kwamaRandi ayizigidi eziyi-100. Noma ungacabanga ngomkhiqizo we-chemistry wokwenziwa wokuvikela izitshalo othatha cishe iminyaka eyishumi kuya kweyishumi nambili kanye nangaphezulu kwamaRandi ayizigidi ezingama-250. Ngakho-ke namuhla, i-biologicals iyiklasi lomkhiqizo elingafika emakethe ngokushesha.
Kodwa-ke, uhlaka lokulawula luyaqhubeka nokuthuthuka kulesi sikhala. Ngiluqhathanise ne-chemistry yokwenziwa yokuvikela izitshalo ngaphambili. Kunezimfuneko zokuhlola eziqondile kakhulu eziphathelene ne-ecology kanye nokuhlolwa kwe-toxicology kanye nezindinganiso, kanye nokulinganiswa kwemiphumela yensalela yesikhathi eside.
Uma sicabanga nge-biological, iyisidalwa esiyinkimbinkimbi kakhulu, futhi ukulinganisa imiphumela yaso yesikhathi eside kunzima kakhulu ukuyixazulula, ngoba idlula emijikelezweni yokuphila nokufa uma iqhathaniswa nomkhiqizo we-chemistry wokwenziwa, okuyisimo esingaphili esingalinganiswa kalula emjikelezweni wayo wesikhathi sokuwohloka. Ngakho-ke, kuzodingeka senze izifundo zabantu eminyakeni embalwa ukuze siqonde ngempela ukuthi lezi zinhlelo zisebenza kanjani.
Isingathekiso esingcono kakhulu engingasinikeza ukuthi uma ucabanga ngesikhathi esizokwethula khona into entsha emvelweni, kuhlale kunezinzuzo nemiphumela yesikhathi esiseduze, kodwa kuhlale kunezingozi noma izinzuzo zesikhathi eside okufanele uzilinganise ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. Akuzange kube kudala kakhulu lapho sethula i-Kudzu (i-Pueraria montana) e-US (1870) sabe sesiyincoma ekuqaleni kwawo-1900 njengesitshalo esihle sokusetshenziselwa ukulawula ukuguguleka kwenhlabathi ngenxa yesivinini sayo sokukhula ngokushesha. Manje i-Kudzu ibusa ingxenye enkulu yeNingizimu-mpumalanga ye-United States futhi ihlanganisa izinhlobo eziningi zezitshalo ezihlala ngokwemvelo, iziphuca kokubili ukukhanya kanye nokufinyelela kwezakhamzimba. Uma sithola igciwane 'eliqinile' noma 'elihambisanayo' bese sililetha, sidinga ukuqonda okuqinile ngokuhambisana kwayo nemvelo ekhona.
Sisesezinsukwini zokuqala zokwenza lezo zilinganiso, kodwa kunezinkampani ezintsha ezingezona izimali zethu, kodwa ngingazibiza ngenjabulo. I-Solena Ag, i-Pattern Ag kanye ne-Trace Genomics benza ukuhlaziywa kwenhlabathi ye-metagenomic ukuze baqonde zonke izinhlobo zezilwane ezenzeka enhlabathini. Futhi manje njengoba sesikwazi ukulinganisa lezi zinhlobo ngokuqhubekayo, singayiqonda kangcono imiphumela yesikhathi eside yokwethula izinto eziphilayo kuleyo microbiome ekhona.
Kudingeka ukuhlukahluka kwemikhiqizo kubalimi, futhi isayensi yezinto eziphilayo ihlinzeka ngethuluzi eliwusizo lokwengeza kumathuluzi okufaka abalimi abanzi. Kuhlale kukhona ithemba lokunciphisa isikhathi kusukela ku-R&D kuya ekuthengisweni, ithemba lami ngenkampani entsha ye-Ag kanye nokuzibandakanya kwabadlali abakhulu endaweni yokulawula ukuthi akugcini nje ngokuqhubeka nokukhuthaza nokukhuthaza ukungena okusheshayo kwale mikhiqizo embonini, kodwa futhi kuphakamisa amazinga okuhlola njalo. Ngicabanga ukuthi okubaluleke kakhulu kithi ngemikhiqizo yezolimo ukuthi iphephile futhi isebenza kahle. Ngicabanga ukuthi sizobona indlela yomkhiqizo yesayensi yezinto eziphilayo iqhubeka nokukhula.
Yiziphi izitayela ezibalulekile ku-R&D kanye nokusetshenziswa kwezinto eziphilayo zezolimo?
Kungase kube nemikhuba emibili ebalulekile esiyibonayo ngokuvamile. Eyokuqala isezakhi zofuzo, kanti enye isebuchwephesheni bokusetshenziswa.
Ngasohlangothini lwezakhi zofuzo, okuye kwaba nokulandelana okuningi emlandweni kanye nokukhethwa kwamagciwane avela ngokwemvelo azobuyiselwa kwezinye izinhlelo. Ngicabanga ukuthi umkhuba esiwubonayo namuhla umayelana nokwenza ngcono amagciwane kanye nokuhlela la magciwane ukuze asebenze kahle ngangokunokwenzeka ezimweni ezithile.
Umkhuba wesibili ukusheshisa ukusetshenziswa kwezitshalo ezimila emahlathini noma ezifakwa emiseleni kuya ekwelashweni kwembewu. Uma ungakwazi ukwelapha imbewu, kulula ukufinyelela emakethe ebanzi, futhi ungabambisana nezinkampani eziningi zembewu ukwenza lokho. Siwubonile lowo mkhuba nge-Pivot Bio, futhi siyaqhubeka nokubona lokhu kwezinye izinkampani ngaphakathi nangaphandle kwephothifoliyo yethu.
Izinkampani eziningi ezintsha zigxila kuma-microbes ukuze zikhiqize imikhiqizo yazo. Yimiphi imiphumela yokusebenzisana enayo nezinye ubuchwepheshe bezolimo, njengokulima okunembile, ukuhlela izakhi zofuzo, ubuhlakani bokwenziwa (AI) njalo njalo?
Ngiwujabulele lo mbuzo. Ngicabanga ukuthi impendulo efanele kakhulu esingayinikeza ukuthi asikakwazi ngokugcwele okwamanje. Ngizokusho lokhu maqondana nokuhlaziywa okuthile esikubhekile okuhlose ukukala ukusebenzisana phakathi kwemikhiqizo ehlukene yokufaka yezolimo. Lokhu kwakungaphezu kweminyaka eyisithupha edlule, ngakho-ke sekuphelelwe yisikhathi. Kodwa esizame ukukubheka konke lokhu kusebenzisana, njengezinambuzane nge-germplasm, i-germplasm nge-fungicides kanye nemiphumela yesimo sezulu kwi-germplasm, futhi sazama ukuqonda zonke lezi zinto eziningi kanye nendlela ezithinta ngayo ukusebenza kwensimu. Futhi umphumela walokho kuhlaziywa kwaba ukuthi ukuguquguquka kokusebenza kwensimu okungaphezu kuka-60% kwakubangelwa isimo sezulu, okuyinto esingenakuyilawula.
Kuyo yonke leyo mehluko, ukuqonda lokho kuxhumana komkhiqizo yilapho sisanethemba khona, njengoba kunezinye izindlela lapho izinkampani ezithuthukisa ubuchwepheshe zingenza khona umthelela omkhulu. Futhi isibonelo empeleni sikuphothifoliyo yethu. Uma ubheka i-Sound Agriculture, lokho abakwenzayo umkhiqizo we-biochemistry, nokuthi i-chemistry isebenza kuma-microbes alungisa i-nitrogen avela ngokwemvelo enhlabathini. Kunezinye izinkampani namuhla ezakha noma ezithuthukisa izinhlobo ezintsha zama-microbes alungisa i-nitrogen. Le mikhiqizo ingaba nokusebenzisana ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, isize kakhulu ekuqoqeni okuningi futhi inciphise inani lomanyolo wokwenziwa odingekayo ensimini. Asikaze sibone umkhiqizo owodwa emakethe okwazi ukufaka esikhundleni se-100% yokusetshenziswa komanyolo we-CAN namuhla noma ngisho no-50% ngaleyo ndaba. Kuzoba yinhlanganisela yalezi zobuchwepheshe eziphumelelayo ezizosiholela kule ndlela engaba khona yesikhathi esizayo.
Ngakho-ke, ngicabanga ukuthi sisekuqaleni nje, futhi naleli iphuzu okufanele silenze, yingakho ngithanda lo mbuzo.
Ngikushilo ngaphambili, kodwa ngizophinda ngithi enye inselele esivame ukuyibona ukuthi izinkampani ezintsha kudingeka zibheke kakhulu ekuhlolweni ngaphakathi kwemikhuba yezolimo engcono kakhulu yamanje kanye nezindawo zemvelo. Uma ngine-biological bese ngiya ensimini, kodwa angihloli imbewu engcono kakhulu umlimi angayithenga, noma angiyihloli ngokubambisana ne-fungicide umlimi angayifutha ukuze avimbele izifo, khona-ke angazi ngempela ukuthi lo mkhiqizo ungasebenza kanjani ngoba i-fungicide ingase ibe nobudlelwano obuphikisanayo naleyo ngxenye ye-biological. Sikubonile lokho esikhathini esidlule.
Sisezinsukwini zokuqala zokuhlola konke lokhu, kodwa ngicabanga ukuthi sibona izindawo ezithile zokusebenzisana kanye nokuphikisana phakathi kwemikhiqizo. Siyafunda ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, okuyinto enhle ngalokhu!
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Isikhathi sokuthunyelwe: Disemba 12-2023