In a world increasingly preoccupied with boosting food production, UNE alumnus Rob Hulme’s views can appear, on face value, at odds with the sector in which he works. The company he founded is indeed concerned with food security, and fostering the innovation necessary to guarantee it, but the fifth-generation farmer’s son is nothing if pragmatic.
I don’t agree with this myopic focus on increased production
“I don’t agree with this myopic focus on increased production,” said Rob, who spent the Christmas period caretaking his family’s Holbrook, NSW, property. “We already produce enough to feed people globally; we just throw half of it away and we are not conscious of managing and repurposing our food resources.
“The thing about feeding 10 billion people and growing 70% more food by 2050 is that it keeps driving producers towards yield outcomes at the expense of efficiency and nutrient density. All that does is drive up the cost of inputs like fertiliser, seed and diesel. We should be working to reduce waste, stop deforestation and become more efficient with the arable land we have and the crops we are already growing.”
Rob Hulme interviewing Howard Yana Shapiro, sustainability advisor to MARS at Global Table Melbourne 2018
Across the Asia-Pacific, The Boralis Group is dedicated to some lofty goals: promoting safe and secure agricultural livelihoods free from poverty and exploitation; enabling food systems that support nature and regeneration; building the resilience of primary production; and advancing the circular economy that regards ‘waste’ as resource capital.
It partners with production and processing companies, agribusiness corporates, accelerators, private equity firms and NGOs to identify opportunities and scout solutions for the challenges vexing broadacre, livestock, horticulture, plantation, aquaculture and intensive agricultural operations.
“We work with clients to understand the problem, evaluate solutions to address it, seek investment to develop business models and then deploy them to scale,” said Rob.
On the production side in Asia, this typically involves mid-tech, mid-scale, local food systems, including hybrid greenhouses for leafy and fruiting vegetables, intensive animal production and alternative proteins. “We are looking to scale hyper-local farms to reduce their carbon footprint, and establish operations close to distribution networks, particularly for products that need to be transported,” Rob said. “Growing food in controlled environments helps manage the risks associated with more extreme weather events, a major issue across the Asia-Pacific region in recent years. However, we need to consider the genetics, capital and energy required, and how it complements existing production systems that meet consumer expectations while turning a profit.”
On the waste side, The Boralis Group has concentrated on finding ways to extend the shelf-life of fresh produce, implementing varietal and genetic breeding programs, and developing technologies capable of repurposing food waste into assets. “We’re effectively applying a secondary harvest focus to water, nutrients and kilojoules,” Rob said.
But new technology does not provide all the answers. “Rather than always seeking something new and shiny, we try to find ways to adapt existing technology that’s well established,” Rob said. “In many cases there’s massive duplication and we may not have to invent anything new at all. In smallholder farming systems it may be a question of deploying existing genetics, irrigation, husbandry or mechanisation that is well established elsewhere more effectively. In this case, the extension of well-established good agricultural practice has the potential to make a huge impact on productivity and livelihoods.”
“Learning about agricultural systems in a holistic way at UNE was a great bus tour, but I now realise there was a lot more to how we can look to scale sustainable food systems.”
The principle of doing more with what’s available harks back to Rob’s time studying first Rural Science and then straight Science (majoring in agronomy, soil science and plant physiology) at UNE “back in the day”. “Which is ironic because I didn’t appreciate then where my career could be headed,” he said. “Learning about agricultural systems in a holistic way at UNE was a great bus tour, but I now realise there was a lot more to how we can look to scale sustainable food systems.”
Rob (right) with Peter Barber, CEO of ComCrop - rooftop hybrid greenhouse in Singapore
While much of his more recent work has centred around South-East Asia, including Singapore, which imports 90% of its food, Rob is now planning to return to Australia and is eager to contribute to solving some of our “big, hairy problems”.
“I’ve noticed a tangible shift in investment sentiment since the election of the new Federal Government, and the next 10 years will be critical in building capability and capacity,” he said. “The recent Green Economy Agreement between Australia and Singapore is expansive, adding lanes onto our bridge to Asia. We must continue to find ways to invest in vertical integration and value-add our products prior to export, rather than just exporting raw materials. There are opportunities for us all, beyond any one sector.
“Asia is the largest and fastest growing population globally and there will be different demands on the food that is delivered. Black swan events like COVID and the war in Ukraine have demonstrated that we are too reliant on complex global food supply chains. How do we make food production affordable and at the same time both financially and environmentally sustainable?”
Rob, a former St Albert’s College resident, routinely considers such questions as a mentor to UNE’s SMART Region Incubator founders. His industry involvement also serves as a constant reminder of the extent of the UNE alumni network.
“Coursework is only one part of your university experience; the UNE network runs pretty deep and wide, and there are a number of graduates who have gone on to senior roles in government and industry,” he said. “I think that reflects the university focus on the practical application of science.”
His own experiences, including working for Bayer Crop Science for over 26 years, and most recently with The Boralis Group, have provided ample opportunities for Rob to “get his hands dirty” and appreciate the personal benefits of his company’s initiatives.
