Agfest visitors will be given a glimpse into the future of farming at this year’s field days via a virtual reality video experience.
Developed by leading food and agribusiness banking specialist Rabobank, the virtual reality video will be shown in the bank’s tent at Agfest, held at Carrick outside Launceston on Thursday 4 May and Friday 5 May.
Agfest will mark the first viewing of ‘The Future of Farming’ video – which is designed to give farmers an insight into the future of technology and innovation – since the video was launched at Rabobank’s international Farm2Fork summit in Sydney last November.
Rabobank group executive Edwin Van Raalte, who initiated the production of the virtual reality experience and will be in attendance at Agfest, said Rabobank was excited to be showcasing the future of farming at Tasmania’s premier field day event.
“As soon as people put on their virtual reality headsets, they are instantly transported to the future, and challenged to think about the epic role they, as farmers, play in feeding the world’s growing population,” he said.
“With the global population set to reach close to 10 billion people by 2050, and food production needing to increase by at least 60 per cent to meet growing demand, the role of innovation has never been so important – whether that be via increasing yields, robotics, drones, GPS or livestock ICT.”
Mr Van Raalte said Rabobank had a strong vision on global food security and was working with farmers around the world – via finance, knowledge and networks – to help tackle this challenge.
“The agricultural sector is poised for remarkable innovation and new efficiencies right across the farm to fork chain, and this ‘movie of the future’ provides a rare glimpse into what is around the corner,” he said.
The virtual reality experience will be on show at Rabobank site 731-733 from 9.30am to 11.30am and again from 2.30pm and 4pm on Thursday 4 and Friday 5 May. Visitors are also encouraged to catch up with local Rabobank staff and Tasmania’s regional manager, Hamish McAlpin as well as deposits and risk specialists who are offering special deposit rates during Agfest.
Rabobank Australia & New Zealand Group is a part of the global Rabobank Group, the world’s leading specialist in food and agribusiness banking. Rabobank has nearly 120 years’ experience providing customised banking and finance solutions to businesses involved in all aspects of food and agribusiness. Rabobank is structured as a cooperative and operates in 40 countries, servicing the needs of approximately 8.6 million clients worldwide through a network of more than 1000 offices and branches. Rabobank Australia & New Zealand Group is one of Australasia’s leading agricultural lenders and a significant provider of business and corporate banking and financial services to the region’s food and agribusiness sector. The bank has 94 branches throughout Australia and New Zealand.
Media contacts:
Denise Shaw
Head of Media Relations
Rabobank Australia & New Zealand
Phone: 02 8115 2744 or 0439 603 525
Email: denise.shaw@rabobank.com
Skye Ward
Media Relations Manager
Rabobank Australia
Phone: 02 4855 1111 or 0418 216 103
Email: skye.ward@rabobank.com