Biography
ROBERT SAIK has forty years of experience as a Professional Agrologist, entrepreneur and an
international consultant who’s worked with a wide variety of agriculturalists from Nigeria’s
Minister of Agriculture to Bill Gates. He was one of only 3 private citizens to address the October
2020 FAO_UN High Level Special Event (Rome) organized by the Committee for World Food Security to
address agriculture sustainability.
His latest book, “FOOD 5.0 How We Feed the Future” is a pragmatic look at the five iterations of
agriculture, culminating in an examination of how technology convergence is reshaping the farm and
the consumer. Robert, an outspoken champion of agriculture, is a Distinguished Agrologist, Professional
Agriculture Consultant, a veteran entrepreneur and has been hailed as an agriculture futurist with
unparalleled insight into where the industry is headed. He has leveraged these strengths to found over 15 companies in the areas of Farming, Agri-Retail, Distribution, Media and Ag Tech. He was the founder and CEO of The Agri-Trend/Agri-Data Group of Companies which was acquired by Trimble. He also served as CEO of DOT Technology Corp (Autonomous Farming) through the acquisition of DOT by Raven Industries.
Robert is the founder and CEO of award-winning AGvisorPRO, a technology platform that connects
those seeking agriculture advice with trusted experts who can provide answers now. The goal is to
leverage knowledge to increase agriculture sustainability using AGvisorPRO to shrink time and
space.
Through Saik Management Group Inc he facilitates the PowerFARM peer group for progressive farmers.
His first book, “The Agriculture Manifesto – Ten Key Drivers That Will Shape Agriculture in the
Next Decade” was a 2014 Best of Amazon Books and this TEDx Talk “Will Agriculture be Allowed to
Feed 9 Billion People?” has been viewed over 170,000 times. Robert is a passionate keynote speaker
and is executive producer of the Know Ideas Media a science based multi-media company addressing
issues such as GMO’s and their use in food production.
He has financed both the Rob Saik Bar None Scholarship at the University of Alberta that provides
support for two rural first year students entering the faculty of agriculture and the Robert Saik
Ag Tech Award that supports two urban students entering the Ag Tech program at Olds College.
He serves on several Boards including the Canadian Agri-Food Autonomous Innovation Network (CAAIN)
as well as Proteum Energy. Rob is an advisor to Olds College, is a member of the A100 (Alberta Tech
Entrepreneur Network), a student of Strategic Coach and Singularity University and a member of
Abundance 360. As a partner in Perigro Venture Partners he participates in early-stage technology
investments.
He has been recognized for agriculture leadership by the Alberta Institute of Agrologists
(Provincial Distinguished Agrologist of the Year 2006) and in 2016 was awarded Canadian
Agri-Marketer of the Year by the Canadian Agri-Marketing Association. In 2021 Robert was recognized
as one of Canada’s Top 50 Most Influential Agriculture Leaders and was named one of Canada’s Top 10 Ag Mentors.
Speech Topics
UNTIL WE HAVE STAR TREK TRANSPORTERS
How can we take the knowledge and wisdom of an Agrologist and stretch it thousands of miles or over
millions of acres? Well, all you need is a transporter…but wait, one does not exist … yet. However,
the one thing that COVID-19 has taught us is that we can use technology to shrink time and space in
brand new ways. The world has profoundly and forever changed. This will affect how PAg’s interact
with society and their clients. Rob will take us on a journey of what this technology “convergence”
means for our industry; We are going to look at how you can be on the farm, in the barn or in the
greenhouse without leaving your home…and he will share a new way to monetize your brain.
All this while we wait for the magic words “Beam me up Scotty”.
FOOD 5.0: How We Feed The Future
While denominations such as paleo, vegan, and organic debate which is “the way,” we’re ignoring a truth that affects us all: to support a population nearing 10 billion by 2050, agriculture must become infinitely sustainable.
To feed the world, we have to grow 10,000 years’ worth of food in the next thirty years, which means farmers worldwide must increase food production by 60 to 70 percent.
This book is about the small percentage of those “farmers of consequence” being called upon to grow the vast majority of the world’s staple food supply. While mighty in their ability, they need support from a general public that increasingly has no idea how they operate.
In Food 5.0, Robert Saik takes you on a journey from the “muscle era” of farming to a future where the convergence of new technologies like sensors, robotics, and machine learning make infinite sustainability achievable. With the veil lifted on modern agriculture practices, you’ll be inspired to contribute to a culture where farmers can adopt the science and tools they need to carry out their mission of feeding the planet.
THE AGRICULTURE MANIFESTO:
10 Key Drivers that will Shape Agriculture in the Next Decade
Agriculture is no longer Murray McGlaughlan’s “dusty old farmer bent over the tractor wheel” but a full-fledged modern business integrating all the tools available to it. We will look at how Science and Technology are being integrated with modern agricultural practices to provide society with a safe, reliable food supply in an environmentally sustainable manner AND we will look at some of the threats that could potentially erode our ability to feed the people on the planet. There are major technology currents pulling on all of humanity. We can choose to fight the current or be aware of their strength and swim in the same direction…and be ahead of the competition. Rob will take you on a quick journey showing how farmers are integrating technology to feed a growing world population. He will touch on exponentially, robotics, artificial intelligence, sensor integration, bio synthesis (GE and GMO), data systems and environment sustainability.
Finally, we will look at HOW we could integrate all these technologies to best serve our farmer customers through new business opportunities offered by our dealerships. And lastly, you will walk away with a sense that, in spite of what the media reports, things are actually pretty good and getting better all the time.
THE WINDS OF CHANGE
Managing Your Organization in Turbulent Times
Business, like sailing is constantly buffeted by “The Winds of Change”. The degree to which you can manage change really comes down to how well you read the wind, how well you have set your sails and how well you have trained your crew. Your industry has been buffeted by technology, disintermediation and new competition. How will you manage in these new turbulent waters? Do you know where you are headed? Is your course plotted? Do you know how to use the tools to ensure you arrive at your destination?
Drawing on his entrepreneurial and sailing experience as well as his over 22 years of enrollment in Strategic Coach (a coaching program for entrepreneurs). Rob will talk about ideas and tools you use to adjust your sails as you encounter obstacles and trials. During this session Rob will be introducing some tools for managing change and there will be some time for individual and group exercises. The goal would be for you to walk away with some practical insights as to how you can better manage your individual and business life. As a business leader, Rob will guarantee you will walk away with some actionable strategies while empowering and providing confidence to your team.
KNOW GMO: Will Agriculture be ALLOWED to Feed 9 Billion People?
As a professional agrologist who works with all types of farming operations, I am in a unique position to observe what is going on both in agriculture and society at large. I travel a lot, so I see things especially in urban markets…I am a techie, so I am in-touch with trends and I am connected to agriculture directly, providing me with a unique perspective on what constitutes the perception vs the reality of modern agriculture.
Since the dawn of agriculture, man has been genetically modifying plants and animals to better provide food. This technological evolution continues today in the form of Bio-Engineering.
There is a “disconnect” with what is going on at the farm; how technology is being used and what people “think” is going on at the farm. It’s time to change the conversation from NO GMO to KNOW GMO. It’s time to stop shouting and start listening. And it’s time we had an uplifting discussion about food.
Rob’s TedX Talk which was titled “Will Agriculture be ALLOWED to feed 9 Billion People?” would go hand in hand with his “KNOW GMO” presentation.
