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© The Author(s) 2021
H. Campos (ed.), The Innovation Revolution in Agriculture,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50991-0_5
Chapter 5
Development of Sustainable Business
Models for Innovation in the Swedish
Agri- sector: Resource-Effective Producer
or Stewardship-Based Entrepreneur?
Per-Ola Ulvenblad
5.1 Introduction
This chapter focuses on the development of sustainable business models for innovation in the Swedish agri-sector. This is important for several reasons. At the global
level, many of society’s challenges are linked to social, environmental and economic aspects of agriculture. Worldwide food production must increase by 70%
from 2009 to 2050, and in developing countries, the increase needs to be 100%
(FAO 2011). However, productivity growth has fallen and remains below potential
in many countries (OECD 2019). Simultaneously, the negative climate impact of
agriculture has to be reduced. The recently released IPCC Special Report on Climate
Change and Land highlights the interconnection between climate change and the
agri-sector (including forestry). At the same time, as some parts of the agri-sector
are drivers of climate change, sustainable agriculture and forestry can reduce climate change (IPCC 2019). Further, research has suggested that investment in agriculture is an effective strategy to achieve many of society’s development goals, like
poverty and hunger, nutrition and health, education, economic and social growth,
peace and security and preserving the world’s environment (Dobermann and
Nelson 2013).
The IPCC report also states that climate change represents a threat to the agrisector (IPCC 2019). As research has identified, there is a need to focus R&D on how
to improve agricultural adaptation to climate change, especially in food-insecure
human populations (e.g. Lobell et al. 2008). Furthermore, sustainable food production will have to address aspects such as the nutritional quality of diets and positive
health effects (Benbrook et al. 2013; Średnicka-Tober et al. 2016).
P.-O. Ulvenblad (*)
School of Business, Innovation and Sustainability, Halmstad University,
Halmstad, Sweden
e-mail: Per-Ola.Ulvenblad@hh.se
© The Author(s) 2021
H. Campos (ed.), The Innovation Revolution in Agriculture,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-50991-0_5
Chapter 5
Development of Sustainable Business
Models for Innovation in the Swedish
Agri- sector: Resource-Effective Producer
or Stewardship-Based Entrepreneur?
Per-Ola Ulvenblad
5.1 Introduction
This chapter focuses on the development of sustainable business models for innovation in the Swedish agri-sector. This is important for several reasons. At the global
level, many of society’s challenges are linked to social, environmental and economic aspects of agriculture. Worldwide food production must increase by 70%
from 2009 to 2050, and in developing countries, the increase needs to be 100%
(FAO 2011). However, productivity growth has fallen and remains below potential
in many countries (OECD 2019). Simultaneously, the negative climate impact of
agriculture has to be reduced. The recently released IPCC Special Report on Climate
Change and Land highlights the interconnection between climate change and the
agri-sector (including forestry). At the same time, as some parts of the agri-sector
are drivers of climate change, sustainable agriculture and forestry can reduce climate change (IPCC 2019). Further, research has suggested that investment in agriculture is an effective strategy to achieve many of society’s development goals, like
poverty and hunger, nutrition and health, education, economic and social growth,
peace and security and preserving the world’s environment (Dobermann and
Nelson 2013).
The IPCC report also states that climate change represents a threat to the agrisector (IPCC 2019). As research has identified, there is a need to focus R&D on how
to improve agricultural adaptation to climate change, especially in food-insecure
human populations (e.g. Lobell et al. 2008). Furthermore, sustainable food production will have to address aspects such as the nutritional quality of diets and positive
health effects (Benbrook et al. 2013; Średnicka-Tober et al. 2016).
P.-O. Ulvenblad (*)
School of Business, Innovation and Sustainability, Halmstad University,
Halmstad, Sweden
e-mail: Per-Ola.Ulvenblad@hh.se