Timing is crucial in agriculture, through the cycle of sowing to harvest and calving to slaughter, but also for strategic decision-making such as predicting demand for perishable goods and automation to extend the working day.

The ability to manage and manipulate time is increasing. REAP 2021 will explore the many ways this is happening through advances in technology and breakthroughs in science.

The adoption of innovation is getting faster. By 2030 over 80% of rural areas across the world will have connectivity, with frontier systems like LEO satellites promising faster communications.

Putting the speed of fibre optic connections in the air will open up access to a new generation of agri-tech, as low latency and high-resolution near-earth observation are essential for many agri-tech applications.

Additionally, knowledge of the role of circadian rhythms for controlling ripening, reproduction, response to disease and medication may create the opportunity to time-shift – enabling ‘spring’ lamb all year, offering multiple harvests, increasing the shelf-life of fruit and vegetables by weeks and mitigating the impact of climate change.

What are the implications for agricultural business models and supply chains in a world without time constrictions?

When?