Climate change, feeding a growing population and adapting to volatility in the supply chain are not issues that impact on the UK alone. We need future business leaders able to take a global perspective in scientific and technological innovation, agricultural production and the management of our natural resources. This is why encouraging agri-food students to take an overseas work placement or a period of study in another country is so important.

Students who join African coffee plantations, fresh produce businesses in Spain, large-scale arable operations in Hungary or major engineering companies in Germany often become responsible for managing teams of local staff and have proved to be ingenious in quickly honing their technical skills or finding novel ways to communicate. They also discover that the UK does not have all of the answers, and that innovative farming practices can be found almost anywhere. Not surprisingly, students who succeed in these environments are often offered jobs by their placement employers, who tell us that they value the ‘can-do’ approach of employees able to adapt quickly to a new working environment. Experience of international business methods is an added bonus.

In January this year DEFRA published an Export Growth Action Plan which noted that, “exporting companies tend to enjoy increased levels of growth, productivity and innovation in addition to other positive effects including improved business resilience and increased profitability”. Even though technical barriers to driving growth in overseas markets remain an issue, the Food & Drink Federation reported that UK food and non-alcoholic drink exports in 2011 increased by 11.4 per cent to £12.15 billion, and that the best- performing sector was fruit and vegetables, with growth of 30.8 per cent to £1.1bn. To develop these markets even further will, however, require additional skills and greater understanding.

Over the last year we have hosted students from the University of Missouri, keen to learn about EU farming methods that are a far cry from those in the US Midwest, while three of our students will attend New York-based Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. This year we also began a programme in Beijing for UK students to gain a better understanding of Chinese culture and business methods. These insights will be of increasing value, not only to students, but also to employers seeking a competitive edge in the global food chain. Hopefully they will also encourage the next generation to appreciate that we live and work in an international agri-food community where we must find ways to learn from each other in tackling the challenge of global food security. —