We live in one of the most exciting periods of human history. In a world where innovation occurs on a daily basis, we find ourselves on the verge of yet another industrial revolution. This revolution will integrate the most fundamental spheres of human existence to increase efficiency and secure sustainability across all aspects of our lives. This new revolution will alter the way we live, work, relate to one another and do business.
One of the first profound shifts in mankind’s way of living happened 10,000 years ago when we transitioned from foraging to farming. The agrarian revolution combined animal and human effort for the purpose of production, transportation and communication. As food production systems improved, our populations grew, eventually leading to the rise of productivity and the emergence of urban centres around the world.
Then came the First Industrial Revolution, which saw a transition from hand to mechanized production lines via new chemical manufacturing and the increasing use of water and steam power. As new technologies were discovered, mankind combined their advancements and the 2nd and 3rd Industrial Revolutions began. The Second Industrial Revolution used electricity to catalyze rapid industrialization, and the Third utilized electronics and information technology to further automate global production systems. Now, we have arrived at present day and the emergence of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This is a digital revolution, a fusion of physical, digital and biological spheres of existence.
This new revolution is disrupting almost every industry in every country around the world at an exponential rather than linear rate, transforming the entire structure of the world economy, our communities and even our human identity. With billions of people connected to each other, unlimited access to knowledge, the emergence of artificial intelligence, robotics, nanotechnology, biotechnology, quantum computing and precision agriculture, mankind has now been confronted with the profound ability to solve some of the world’s most significant challenges. While we still do not know how this new Industrial Revolution will unfold, its complexity and interconnectedness across all sectors will mean that all stakeholders, ranging from governments, businesses and even civil society, have a significant responsibility to contribute and shape the best outcome for all.
We have great potential to improve the quality of life for all populations around the world. This can be achieved through long-term gains in efficiency and productivity across industry, demanded from an increasingly connected and informed society. Global supply chains will become more effective, thereby opening new markets and driving social and economic growth. Most importantly, this will also support the regeneration and preservation of our natural environments. The new system has the potential to meet the basic needs of every human on the planet and live within our ecological means. Rather than being directed solely towards growth at any cost, we will be able to maximize human and planetary welfare for the long term.
The significance of and appetite for sustainable solutions across every aspect of our lives has never been higher. This particularly applies to agriculture and our global food supply, where farming techniques that currently rely on an unsustainable amount of water, energy and agrochemicals are inadequate in meeting the needs of an exponentially increasing global population. Solutions ranging from organic inputs and precision technologies are driving innovation in this field. Primal Group is designed to be disruptive, innovative and to manifest the nucleus of change that will drive a culture that combines social responsibility with sustainable value creation.
All of us as citizens, consumers and investors, we must guide innovation and the disruption that comes with it through the decisions we make every day. By opting for sustainable solutions across all industries and sectors, we will grasp the opportunity to shape the Fourth Industrial Revolution and direct it towards a future that prioritizes mutual prosperity.