in All Things Localization

Eating Your Words: How LSPs Can Help Agriculture

Usually, when you read the word “localization” on our page, we’re typically referring to the process that occurs when Language Service Providers (LSPs) take a translated document and make it understandable and relatable to a local populace – all of the little things that give a language its meaning and poetry beyond its technical communicative functions. This time, however, we’re talking about two different forms of localization – used within agricultural fields.  The first form refers to what many people would call the “farm-to-table” mindset, in which the distance between farmers, food processors, and consumers is heavily shortened, reducing waste and helping eliminate pollution. The second is an automated process – an algorithm combining robotics and mapping – that helps manage agricultural projects at a vast scale.

Though agribusiness is one of the world’s oldest and most important industries – after all, civilization as we know it wouldn’t exist without it – it isn’t immune to the changing technological landscape. New manufacturers are pushing established tech to all corners of the globe, new regulatory environments provide minute guidance on the specific contents and chemical makeup of the soil, and automation is utterly changing how we plant, grow, and sell food. In our white paper “Growing Globally: New Trends in Localization for the Quickly Changing Agriculture Industry,” we identified some emerging markets and how our type of localization can help those involved with the other two.

Communication Issues Facing Agriculture

Agriculture has always been an international business, but demand in new markets has skyrocketed over the last few years. Countries like China, Brazil, and India have seen population booms and rising incomes, which has increased the number of bellies to fill and allowed for more options for them to sate their hunger. Technology, such as automation, the prevalence of digital marketplaces for food, and related biochemical innovations, has helped to increase its supply and availability. There will always be planting, farming, refining, and processing issues, but agriculture’s more abstract issue is wholly communications-centric. We’ve found several places where agricultural businesses could improve their communications strategies, and they may surprise you.

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Crisis Communications: Agriculture businesses may encounter crises, like food safety issues or natural disasters, that require effective communication with stakeholders. Companies must have clear crisis communication plans for all their operating languages and global regions to handle such situations. These plans should include protocols for informing customers, suppliers, regulators, and strategies for timely and transparent communication.

Supply Chain Communications: In agriculture, businesses have complicated supply chains with many partners, such as farmers, processors, distributors, and retailers. Companies need clear communication and collaboration with their partners to manage these supply chains well. They can use tools like online marketplaces and supply chain management systems to facilitate communication and data sharing.

Internal Communications:
Good communication is crucial within any agriculture business. This means sharing goals, expectations, brand values, and strategies with everyone involved, from board members to employees, across different departments and locations.

eLearning and Training Communications:
Expanding to new regions or working with diverse language backgrounds in agricultural businesses may lead to communication gaps, especially with training and eLearning materials. To address this, developing eLearning content in multiple languages is crucial, ensuring effective communication across different linguistic contexts.

LSP Solutions for Agricultural Problems

Language Service Providers can pick up some of the slack and sift the wheat from the chaff for agribusiness. Here are some ways that LSPs like CSOFT can directly assist the agriculture industry in ensuring those categories:

Software Localization:  
Making farm management software work for different markets means changing how it looks, and the information it gives based on the languages and cultures represented there. It’s not just about translating words but about preserving their meaning; we also consider the local culture and the norms they follow. By testing the software in different places, we can find and fix any problems, making the software more accessible for farmers worldwide, encouraging more people to adopt the technology, and making farming more sustainable and efficient no matter where a user is located.

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eLearning:
Utilizing eLearning modules effectively introduces new farming technology to a broad audience and ensures a clear understanding of technical procedures and safety practices. Providing training documents and online help resources in all required languages is crucial for businesses aiming for a simple, streamlined approach to global training strategies.

Multimedia:
Using videos and multimedia content is valuable for agricultural businesses aiming to promote products and convey brand values in new regions. Multimedia helps attract buyers and engage audiences for maximum brand visibility, particularly online platforms. Considering global differences in literacy, audiovisual content can also overcome communication challenges that written materials may not effectively address.

Conclusion:

As we’ve demonstrated, Agribusiness must broaden its communications strategies to meet that rising demand. As more people want access to a wider variety of food, technology, training, marketing, and logistics will be the combination that brings it to them. LSPs can help ensure that the process from seed to snack is as easy as possible. Using an LSP like CSOFT, you can communicate faster and more efficiently, allowing everyone to fill and finish their plates.

Want seconds? Check out the white paper here. To learn more or get your next translation project started, contact us today!

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