Could the hottest job of the future be...farming? In the next decade, 1.2 billion people globally will age into the labor force, but there will not be enough existing jobs waiting for them. The world's population is expected to climb to 10 billion by 2050, creating a need for at least 60% more food production than we currently have. At the World Bank-IMF Annual Meetings, the bank's President Ajay Banga announced a plan that attempts to tackle both while also creating more sustainable and climate-friendly agriculture. The World Bank is doubling financial commitments for agribusiness and farming, totaling $9 billion by 2030. GZERO's Tony Maciulis spoke to Shobha Shetty, Global Director of Agriculture and Food, about the short-term and long-term needs surrounding food production and distribution. "This is not your grandfather's agriculture," Shetty said in a Global Stage interview. "You have to professionalize the sector. And this is what we are doing through a number of our agricultural education projects." Technology and skilling, she explained, are necessary to create the agriculture jobs of the future while also addressing the acute needs of the hungry today.
More from Global Stage
Can we use AI to secure the world's digital future?
September 25, 2024
How do we ensure AI is safe, available to everyone, and enhancing productivity? It’s a big topic at this year’s UN General Assembly. That’s why GZERO’s Global Stage livestream brought together leading experts at the heart of the action for “Live from the United Nations: Securing our Digital Future,” an event produced in partnership between the Complex Risk Analytics Fund, or CRAF’d, and GZERO Media’s Global Stage series, sponsored by Microsoft.
Is the Europe-US rift leaving us all vulnerable?
February 16, 2025
As the tense and politically charged 2025 Munich Security Conference draws to a close, GZERO’s Global Stage series presents a conversation about strained relationships between the US and Europe, Ukraine's path ahead, and rising threats in cyberspace.
TODAY at 12 PM ET: Watch our Global Stage live premiere from Davos
January 21, 2026
TODAY at 12 PM ET/6 PM CEST: At this year's World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, our Global Stage panel discussion will examine the growing infrastructure around AI, how countries are tackling AI adoption, and the ways in which local and supranational industries might benefit from this rapidly accelerating technology. Watch the live premiere at 12PM ET/6 PM CEST at gzeromedia.com/globalstage
A new chapter for Davos: Dialogue, AI, and Global Resilience
January 19, 2026
At the 2026 World Economic Forum, GZERO's Tony Maciulis spoke with Matthew Blake, Managing Director at the World Economic Forum, about a defining transition for Davos and the state of the global economy.
Understanding AI in 2025 with Global Stage
December 13, 2025
In 2025, GZERO’s Global Stage coverage highlighted a recurring theme: artificial intelligence is transforming every corner of the globe.
Rebeca Grynspan on reforming the UN for a new era
November 07, 2025
As the United Nations marks its 80th anniversary, UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Grynspan argues that reform must begin with recognizing how much the world has changed since 1945.
See more
