Connect with:
Thursday / November 7. 2024

logo
mobile-logo
HomePosts Tagged "AI"
Agrotech, Company News, India

Garuda Aerospace’s Kisan drones can support with spraying of fertilisers and pesticides

Focused on positively impacting India’s agriculture sector, Garuda Aerospace continues to expand its market share through partnerships and collaboration. Supporting Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s visionary initiative to empower women-led Self Help Groups (SHGs), Garuda Aerospace announces that it has secured an order of a total of 500 Garuda Kisan Drones from 10 leading fertiliser companies under the NaMo Drone Didi scheme.  National Fertilisers Limited (NFL), Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers (RCF), The Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore (FACT), Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Limited (HURL), KRIBHCO Fertilisers, Gujarat State Fertilisers & Chemicals (GSFC), Brahmaputra Valley Fertiliser Corporation (BVFCL), Matix Fertilisers & Chemicals, Paradeep Phosphates (PPL) and Mangalore Chemicals and Fertilisers (MCF) are the 10  companies which have placed an order for Garuda Aerospace’s Kisan drones under the scheme.

Garuda Aerospace’s Kisan drones can support with spraying of fertilisers and pesticides. Given its precision capabilities, Kisan drones can reduce the quantity of pesticides used in addition to eliminating long exposures to harmful chemicals. Kisan drones are equipped with AI, ML and GPS sensors to help farmers with accurate and real-time information about their crops and farms. The drones also reduce the use of water and are equipped to cover large farming areas in a relatively shorter time. Garuda Kisan Drones can help increase crop yield by 60 per cent and reduce loss of crop by 20 per cent.  

Garuda Aerospace’s Kisan drones can support with

AgroPolicy, Agrotech, Digital Technologies

A Tripartite MoU signed between the National Farmers’ Welfare Programme Implementation Society, IndiaAI and Wadhwani Foundation

The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India, is leveraging cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies for the benefit of farmers and to increase overall productivity. As a pioneering force in the integration of AI, the Ministry is setting a precedent for leveraging advanced technologies to address the challenges faced by the farmers in India. It is championing the India Digital Ecosystem Architecture (InDEA) 2.0’s network approach, designed by the Ministry of Electronics & IT, Government of India.

A significant milestone in this journey is the development of ‘Kisan e-Mitra,’ an AI-powered chatbot addressing farmers’ queries about the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. This comprehensive solution, available in Hindi, Tamil, Odia, Bangla, and English, is evolving to support other government programs and has been accessed by more than 21 lakh farmers within 2 months.

Additionally, the Ministry is developing a National Pest Surveillance System in collaboration with the private sector. AI and Machine Learning (ML) models detect crop issues, offering timely information to farmers for swift action. This initiative is expected to result in healthier crops, potentially boosting yields and improving farmers’ livelihoods.

A Tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the National Farmers’ Welfare Programme Implementation Society, IndiaAI under Digital India Corporation, and Wadhwani Foundation. The MoU was signed in the presence of Manoj Ahuja, Secretary, Dr. P.K. Meherda, Additional Secretary, Ruchika Gupta, Advisor(Digital), Samuel Praveen Kumar, Joint Secretary(Extn.), Muktanand Agrawal, Director (Digital), other senior officials from Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Ministry of Electronics & IT and Prakash Kumar, CEO, Wadhwani Institute of Technology and Policy.

Per the MoU, the Wadhwani Foundation will provide critical support in formulating and executing an AI strategy. The Foundation commits to assisting the Ministry in establishing India as a global leader in AI-driven digital agriculture transformation, aligning with MeitY’s National Plan for AI. This collaboration marks a pivotal moment in India’s agricultural landscape, where the Ministry has institutionalised the use of AI in transforming digital agriculture through the creation of an AI cell within the Ministry.

A Tripartite MoU signed between the National

Agrotech, Climate, Company News, World

AI-powered S2S model delivers new breakthrough levels of reliability and predictability in long-range weather forecasts

Salient Predictions, a leading pioneer in weather forecasting analytics, is adapting to increasing climate volatility by setting new standards in long-range weather prediction with a major upgrade to its revolutionary forecasting solution, the sub-seasonal-to-seasonal (S2S) model, to deliver forecasts two to 52 weeks in advance. Developed by a leading team of scientists and engineers, the cutting-edge AI model employs the power of AI and calibration to create reliable probabilistic distributions and empower decision-makers to navigate weather-related challenges and opportunities with greater confidence. 

“Global climate change is spurring volatile weather patterns around the world,” said Matt Stein, co-founder and CEO of Salient. “This is presenting urgent challenges in weather forecasting and analytics. A substantial upgrade to our S2S model and a breakthrough for the industry, this release addresses these pressing issues, delivering major improvements in temperature, precipitation, and other forecasting variables. Salient’s new forecasting model stands out for its exceptional accuracy and reliability with new capabilities that enable confident decisions with long-range forecasts amidst unprecedented weather patterns.”

In the face of pressing global warming challenges, the new S2S model provides indispensable tools to address climate-related risks and vulnerabilities. The accuracy improvements for temperature and precipitation outperform benchmark models such as NOAA’s Global Ensemble Forecast System (GEFS), European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), and climatology. Accuracy excels in sub-seasonal weekly forecasts, enhancing its value in critical decision-making scenarios for commodity trading, agronomic decisions, renewable energy production, and more. Based on a comparison of the Continuous Ranked Probability Score (CRPS) to reference models, the accuracy gain can reach up to 50 per cent.

With its reliable probabilistic forecasts, the new model better equips stakeholders across various sectors from agriculture, energy, finance, and beyond with the knowledge to mitigate the impact of extreme weather events, optimise resource management, and prioritise climate adaptation strategies.

AI-powered S2S model delivers new breakthrough levels

Agrotech, R&D, World

Enko provides thought leadership and innovation to help address global concerns and shape policy as a centre for nature and climate partner

Enko, the crop health company, today announced that it has expanded its engagement with the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Innovator Communities with an invitation to be a WEF Global Innovator. Enko has been a WEF Technology Pioneer since 2021 and now joins 400+ of the world’s leading start-ups to positively shape our shared future within the WEF’s Centre for Nature and Climate.

According to the WEF, “Global Innovators are among the most impactful and innovative start-ups in the world. They are actively engaged in the Forum’s efforts to advance global collaboration across the forum’s 10 Centres serving to benefit global society.”

Enko continues to answer the call for solutions to aid in more sustainable increases in food production by addressing key pests and diseases devastating yields for farmers globally. Their innovative use of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and drug discovery approaches allows for the design of novel, safe and effective crop protection, and comes at a time when many regions of the world are struggling to produce sufficient food for their people. As part of this new Forum engagement, Enko will engage alongside a community of innovators coordinated by WEF to craft a sustainable future that will positively impact food security around the world.

“We are pleased to continue engaging Enko in the Forum’s Innovator communities,” says Verena Kuhn, Head of the Innovator Communities at the World Economic Forum. “Finding sustainable and inclusive ways of feeding the world’s population is one of the challenges that the Forum’s Centre for Nature and Climate is tackling, and Enko can provide valuable insights on this and is innovating novel ways for farmers to help achieve this goal.”

Enko provides thought leadership and innovation to help

Agrotech, Company News, India, Sustainability

Affordable modern technology & right quality farm inputs can help farmers to increase their yield, quality, and income

R G Agarwal, Dhanuka Group Chairman made a strong pitch for the integration of technological advancements, such as drones and artificial intelligence, with the agriculture sector to enhance crop yield, reduce costs, and ultimately improve the income of farmers.

The Dhanuka Group is a prominent player in the agrochemical industry, with a mission to empower farmers by providing them with innovative solutions.

Addressing a press conference Agarwal said drones and artificial intelligence are two of the most promising technologies that can revolutionize the agriculture industry.

Drones have already been used in the agriculture sector for spraying pesticides and other activities, but they can be promoted on a larger scale through public-private partnerships. We are also supplying the first drones approved by DGCA for use in agriculture as well as spray services, he said.

He said the implementation of advanced technologies like drones and artificial intelligence will enable farmers to compete more effectively in the global market while improving the efficiency of their farming operations.

 “These technologies can help in identifying crop diseases and pests attack in advance, as well as assist in the efficient use of fertilizers and water management. With the help of these technologies, farmers can make informed decisions based on real-time data and plan their crops better,” said Agarwal.

He further said Dhanuka Group is playing a significant role in the promotion of technology and has also invested in a drone manufacturing company. The company is also running several campaigns to increase awareness about the use of the right quality farm inputs and purchase against bill only. He said recently, Dhanuka Agritech has operationalised a state-of-art Research & Training Centre (DART) for farmers at Palwal (Haryana) which was inaugurated by Haryana Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar.

Recognising the importance of technology accessibility, Agarwal stressed the need for a right to technology for farmers, ensuring that they have affordable access to modern tools and techniques.

“This inclusion will enable farmers to leverage modern tools and techniques effectively, addressing the challenges posed by climate change. It will enable farmers to make the most of innovative solutions and effectively manage their agricultural operations,” he said.

“The adoption of modern technologies, along with the use of the right quality farm inputs can help farmers address the challenges posed by pest attacks. Drones and artificial intelligence can provide farmers with real-time information about weather patterns, soil moisture levels, and other critical factors that affect crop growth. With this information, farmers can make informed decisions,” he said.

Affordable modern technology & right quality farm

Agrotech, India

‘Drones for Precision Agriculture’ training programme held at MPKV, Rahuri

The Centre for Advanced Agricultural Science and Technology for Climate Smart Agriculture and Water Management (CAAST-CSAWM), under the aegis of ICAR-National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP) recently held a National Training Programme entitled ‘Drones for Precision Agriculture’ at its Central Campus at Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth (MPKV), Rahuri for capacity building of academicians, entrepreneurs, researchers, students, farmers and practitioners.

While inaugurating the programme in hybrid mode as Chief Guest, Dr R C Agrawal, Deputy Director General (Agric Education) and National Director, ICAR-NAHEP said that the country is now experiencing the Agriculture 4.0 phase that particularly emphasises the use of digital technology; and opined that drones have assumed great importance in the age of digital technology.

He expressed that the use of artificial intelligence, coupled with drones, sensors and internet of things (IoT) enabled devices  which will establish new bench marks in Indian agriculture. He urged CAAST, MPKV to organise such capacity building programs regularly and also to schedule workshop on “Drone Awareness” for senior officers of SAUs and ICAR Institutes in the country.

‘Drones for Precision Agriculture’ training programme held

Agrotech, Company News, Middle East countries, Sustainability

One of only 54 global companies to make the World list of ‘Doing well by doing good’

AeroFarms, a Certified B Corporation and the pioneer in vertical farming, is announced as a Change The World Company by Fortune. The list recognises innovative companies that have made an important social or environmental impact through their profit-making strategy and operations this year.  

It continues to increase consumer availability of AeroFarms flavourful, delicious and sustainably grown leafy greens and microgreens while also scaling farming operations and transforming the agriculture industry. This year, AeroFarms opened two indoor vertical farms: the world’s largest aeroponic smart farm in Danville, Virginia and the world’s largest Research and Development farm in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Both farms scale the company’s mission to grow the best plants possible for the betterment of humanity and advance the agriculture industry forward.

“This Change The World honour reinforces AeroFarms’ award-winning legacy to build and scale our business as a force for good,” says David Rosenberg, AeroFarms CEO and Co-Founder. “We have been transforming agriculture with people and planet in mind, using the latest breakthroughs in indoor vertical farming, artificial intelligence and plant biology to fix our broken food system and this award is a testament to our team’s commitment to our broader mission.”

One of only 54 global companies to

Company News

The AGCO 3D Product Advisor sets new standards in digital product visualisation while reducing complexity, increasing farm productivity, and generating sustainability impacts

AGCO, a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment, infrastructure and precision ag technology, has recently received the Red Dot: Best of the Best award in the “Interaction and UX” category with its digital design concept, the AGCO 3D Product Advisor.

“This award is a tremendous honour that recognises one of the innovative, industry-leading solutions that AGCO offers to the world’s farmers,” said Eric Hansotia, Chairman, President and CEO of AGCO Corporation. “Creating digital solutions that maximise value while improving long-term sustainability is core to our farmer-first strategy.”

Developed in collaboration with farmers around the world, the AGCO 3D Product Advisor sets new standards in digital product visualisation while reducing complexity, increasing farm productivity, and generating sustainability impacts. Unity Technologies and Infosys Consulting were key partners in developing this solution.

The AGCO 3D Product Advisor sets new

Agrotech, Finance

The partnership will have access to more than 40 million farmers in India and focus on transforming how farmers mitigate and adapt to climate change and other livelihood related risks

Agriculture Insurance Company of India Limited (AICIL), a nationalised insurance company under the Ministry of Finance, Government of India, has signed a three-year agreement with Wingsure, an insurtech company that leverages artificial intelligence and deep technology to protect farmers worldwide.

As part of the agreement, Wingsure will use its advanced technology capabilities to significantly strengthen the accessibility of insurance products and services to farmers in India; curate and promote AICIL’s comprehensive portfolio of agriculture insurance products and enable its channels, including groups and partner brokers, to distribute on its mobile app.

Launched to support economic empowerment with transparency and promote sustainability through modern agricultural practices, Wingsure’s application leverages advanced computer vision, augmented reality, and voice capabilities to provide intelligence and facilitate the underwriting and insurance claims processes for small holder farmers. The partnership will have access to more than 40 million farmers in India and focus on transforming how farmers mitigate and adapt to climate change and other livelihood related risks. 

Malay Poddar, Chairman and Managing Director, AICIL, said, “We firmly believe that technology implementation is key to providing insurance and thereby protecting the underserved. Through our association, we will utilise the Wingsure technology platform to support our vision of how farmers can leverage insurance to mitigate risk.”

The partnership will have access to more

Agri Genomics, Webinar

The 7-day online workshop was attended by over 350 young researchers and faculty members belonging to the various fields of biotechnology

A “National Workshop-cum-Webinar on Genome Editing” has been organised from June 27 to July 3, 2022 online with an objective of communicating the advances in science and technology to young students and researchers. This workshop was organised under the Chairmanship of Prof KC Bansal, Secretary of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences (NAAS), New Delhi, who is a former Director of the premier institution of ICAR, the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR).

Co-Chaired by a world-renowned scientist Prof Yiping Qi, Associate Professor, University of Maryland, USA, the 7-day online workshop was attended by over 350 young researchers and faculty members belonging to the various fields of biotechnology.

Speakers included Dr KA Molla, Scientist, NRRI, Cuttack; Dr Siddharth Tiwari, Scientist, NABI, Mohali; Dr P Chander Shekhar, Principal Scientist, CSIR-CCMB, Hyderabad; Dr Debojyoti Chakraborty, Senior Scientist, CSIR-IGIB, New Delhi; Dr Viswanathan Chinnusamy, Principal Scientist, IARI, New Delhi and Dr Naveen Bisht, Staff Scientist V, NIPGR, New Delhi. The scientists who will be speaking during the next three days include Dr Kavita Babu, Principal Investigator, IISc, Bangalore; Dr Deepti Trivedi Vyas, Scientist, NCBS, Bangalore; Dr Amit Ghosh, Assistant Professor, IIT, Kharagpur; Dr Basudev Ghoshal, Research Scientist, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Dr D T Singh, Founder & President, CloudSeq Pte Ltd, Singapore.

Prof KC Bansal highlighted the current state of Gene Editing and mentioned that since Government of India has recently issued guidelines easing the norms for bio-safety assessment for developing genome-edited crops, more opportunities have opened into the research and development in this field, and therefore, this workshop is the need of the hour. The Gene Editing technology enables the manipulation of targeted genes in a precise and efficient manner in many organisms and cell lines, and has become indispensable for all life sciences researchers globally, ranging from agriculture to pharma to health sectors.

The 7-day online workshop was attended by

Agrotech, Finance

Total funding amount is $17 million which will be used to fund commercialisation and continued development the technology

Hico Capital, a subsidiary of SK networks based in US, has invested in a US AgTech startup. SK networks has announced on June 30(CDT) that the company will invest $4 million, via Hico Capital, its US investment subsidiary, in the Series A round for tractor automation solution provider, Sabanto (based in Chicago, Illinois, USA). Total funding amount is $17 million which will be used to fund commercialisation and continued development the technology.

Sabanto is a startup offering an automation solution for farming tractors and differentiates itself from competitors by delivering an automation solution deployable in conventional tractors currently in operation. In addition, as the solution is offered as an open platform, it is compatible with most of the tractor brands.

Hico Capital has made its investment decision based on the considerable growth potential of AgTech industry as well as Sabanto’s differentiated technologies. The US agriculture industry faces a series of challenges including aging farmers, shortage of labour, and rising costs, which have prompted the government and the market to consider automation technology as a possible solution.

Samuel Kim, Managing Director at Hico Capital commented, “The AgTech industry is one of the fastest growing sectors in the United States, and Sabanto’s automation tech offerings will not only boost the operational efficiency of tractors but also contribute to the sustainability in agriculture.”

Total funding amount is $17 million which will be

Dairy, Supply Chain

The addition of Cainthus to the Ever.Ag portfolio will provide dairy farmers and their advisors new insights from passive data collection

Ever.Ag, a leading agtech provider dedicated to empowering supply chains to feed a growing world, has acquired Cainthus, a company that offers artificial intelligence-enabled cameras for analyzing dairy operations. The addition of Cainthus to the Ever.Ag portfolio will provide dairy farmers and their advisors new insights from passive data collection.

Ever.Ag CEO Scott Sexton commented, “We believe precision agriculture, now in the dairy barn, is the future. We are committed to growing, expanding, and embedding Cainthus technology into our software suite that spans the supply chain.”

The acquisition of Cainthus delivers on Ever.Ag’s mission and continues its decades-long tradition of partnering with the dairy industry from farm to fork. Additionally, as consumers become more focused on purchasing environmentally friendly and sustainably produced goods, the data it collects can validate responsible farming practices throughout the supply chain.

Ever.Ag plans to enhance the offerings of its My Dairy Dashboard product and producer portals ― which integrates data from milk pickups, feed delivered, recorded cow events, milk schedules, and pay information. Cainthus will use the operational data to associate and visually validate herd performance in the barn.

Both Ever.Ag and Cainthus are leaders in data digitisation for dairy farm operations and their animals. Ever.Ag solutions are designed, developed, and produced by a global team with a passion for agtech, client sustainability, and mutual prosperity.

The addition of Cainthus to the Ever.Ag

Agrotech

Adani Defence & Aerospace has acquired strategic stake in digital led leading agri-drone solution provider General Aeronautics

Adani Defence & Aerospace has entered into definitive agreements for acquiring 50 per cent equity stake in agricultural drone start up – General Aeronautics. 
 General Aeronautics, a Bangalore based start-up specialises in developing robotic drones to offer tech enabled crop protection services, crop health monitoring, precision farming and yield monitoring using artificial intelligence and data analytics while working very closely with the farmers and agricultural chemical companies. General Aeronautics also has the presence of some reputed venture capital firms like Mela Ventures, founded by former Mindtree founders.

“The cross-industry application of drones is nearly limitless and continues to make great strides. It offers countries like ours the opportunity to leapfrog generations of infrastructure, healthcare, logistics, agriculture and defence advancements and break several process barriers. When combined with next generation imaging technologies, longer battery life, edge based artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities, the possibilities are endless. The partnership between General Aeronautics and Adani Defence & Aerospace fuses our military and civilian objectives by integrating several capabilities Adani Group’s military UAV capabilities with the capabilities of General Aeronautics thereby providing us with a platform with far reaching possibilities” said Ashish Rajvanshi, CEO of Adani Defence & Aerospace.

The acquisition aligns to the objectives of Adani Defence & Aerospace in providing a platform to startups and MSMEs for rapid growth and scalability of innovative technologies.

Adani Defence & Aerospace has acquired strategic

Agrotech

The global agricultural drones’ market is expected to grow from $1.5 billion in 2019 to $10.5 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 31.4 per cent during the forecast period 2020-2027

As per the report published by Fior Markets, the global agricultural drones’ market is expected to grow from $1.5 billion in 2019 to $10.5 billion by 2027, at a CAGR of 31.4 per cent during the forecast period 2020-2027. The North America region stands as a promising market for agricultural drones and is expected to grow at the highest CAGR of during the forecast period. It is also the largest market for agricultural drones. This is due to the high purchasing power and readiness in technological adoption of consumers in that region. North America is the fastest-growing, but South America has the highest potential for growth. 

Key players in the global agriculture drones’ market are Israel Aerospace Industries, Yamaha Motor, Delair, AeroVironment, PrecisionHawk, Trimble Navigation, AgEagle Aerial Systems, Microdrones GmbH, Agribotix LLC American Robotics, AgEagle Aerial Systems, URSULA Agriculture, Sentera, Parrot SA, SZ DJI Technology, and AutoCopter Corp among others. Key companies are mainly focusing on developing new products, forming partnerships, and joint ventures to gain significant market share in the global agriculture drone’s market.

The key driver of the global agricultural drones’ market is increased agricultural output. Higher crop yields and a better understanding of precision farming are raising demand for these drones.

The global agricultural drones’ market is expected