b'As urbanization continues, in most parts of the world, the birth rate is falling to replacement rate or lower. That means most places in the worldnamely everywhere except sub-Saharan Africa and Indiawill see their populations peak and then begin to decline. Darrell Brickerfewer children when they live in the city. In Canada we now havedelivery and how important a service it is to have when people more people over 65 than under the age of 50. cant leave their home to go to a store or restaurant. Thats what older people deal with every day even when there is no Seed World: That brings us to fertility. Why do peoplepandemic. When you have mobility issues, you cant just go have fewer children in cities? out to dine whenever you feel like it. Heres a thoughtdeliver DB: As urbanization continues, in most parts of the world, thefood specifically with older people in mind. And what restaurant birth rate is falling to replacement rate or lower. That meansmakes anything for older people in particular? Eighty percent most places in the worldnamely everywhere except sub- of Canadas wealth is with people over the age of 50. They have Saharan Africa and Indiawill see their populations peak andall the money and there are more of them every day, yet no one then begin to decline. Just take a look at your own family. Howcaters to them.many kids did your grandparents have? How many did your parents have? How many do you have or plan to have? And howSeed World: Thats a great idea actually, a restaurant many kids do you think your kids will have? In most places in thedesigned for older people.world, youll get a similar answer. On the farm, having lots of kidsDB: Yet no one seems to have thought of it. Turn down the means more hands to milk the cows and harvest the crops. Inmusic so I can have a conversation, and I dont need a bunch cities, childrenalthough we love them dearlyare a liability.of TV screens and lights flashing at mealthough I would like Having kids is expensive, as virtually every parent in Canada willenough light to read what Im ordering. How about a place at tell you. the front of the restaurant where I can leave my mobility device? If people know they can get inside your establishment, they just Seed World: How does aging influence this predictedmight come. Mainstream consumer culture doesnt really give population decline? a hoot about older Canadians. Theyre all around us and yet we DB: We have doubled human life expectancy in the pastmostly ignore them.century. Were getting bad at making new people and getting really good at keeping existing people alive. In 1920, the aver- Seed World: Whats your advice to agriculture and the age Canadian lived to be in their 50s. Today, its 81. By 2036, lifeseed industry specifically?expectancy will be 87. Kids born today can expect to live to beDB: Think about older people. Hire them. They want to keep 100 if medical science keeps progressing, and it assuredly will. working. Theyre healthy enough and they have the knowledge, we just have to adjust our workplaces for them. Is your work-Seed World: Why is this important for industry toplace based on an open concept? Thats fine for millennials and consider? members of Gen Z, but I for one like to have some quiet, some DB: When I think of agriculture, I dont think of young people,privacy, so I can concentrate. Designing things for young people I think of older people. Thats the market you should be goingwho we arent creating in the first place doesnt make sense. As after. Millennials and members of Gen Z, in general, have nofor the crops you breed, breed with older people in mind. They money. Theyre having a hard time starting their lives. Half of allgenerally dont have the fancy, exotic tastes you see in the aver-Canadians age 18-35 live with their parents, some because theyage millennial foodie. What are we breeding and growing with have to take care of their parents because theyre living so long.older people in mind? Not much. And finally, with more and more Houses are hard to find not because there are too many peoplepeople moving to the city, whos going to grow that food?SWout there, but because the older people who live in those homes ON THE WEBarent moving out. Theyre aging in place. Grandma and grandpaWHERE are very happy to stay in their home well into their golden years. This has many implications for the entrepreneurs out there. Listen to our follow-up podcast interview with Darrell Bricker for his insights on how the COVID-19 pandemic might affect a world of shrinking population numbers (hint: get ready for robot farmers): Seed World: Like what? seedworld.com/the-un-says-world-population-growth-is-slowing-darrell-bricker-says-its-no-DB: During COVID-19 people have been talking a lot about foodsurprise/.68/ SEEDWORLD.COMJANUARY 2023'