PHOTO: BAYWA


PHOTO: SWARMFARM ROBOTICS PHOTO: FAO/KEITH CRESSMAN


EDITOR’S PICKS ▶▶▶


Five examples of how innovation changes agriculture


GLOBAL BY HUGO CLAVER


“S


ince the beginning of agricul- ture, farmers have had to change, adapt and create new ways of working the


land, of dealing with difficult terrains and of enduring extreme climates and weather phe- nomena,” says the Food and Agriculture Organ- ization of the United Nations (FAO). “Recognis- ing successful innovations and helping to spread them to other farmers, is vital for our future of food and agriculture.” Five examples: 1. In the Dominican Republic, the sterile insect technique (SIT) was applied to eradicate the Mediterranean fruit fly. In 2015, the outbreak of this pest forced the country to enact an im- mediate ban on its exports of fruits and vege- tables. SIT is an innovative technique in which male insects are sterilised in labs. When re- leased in the wild they mate with females but


BayWa satellite- assisted irrigation


EUROPE The satellite-assisted “VariableRain” irrigation solution has successfully concluded a two-year pilot in Zambia, Africa. Now BayWa is ready for the worldwide launch. On the basis of satellite and weather data in combination with Vista GmbH’s Promet plant growth model, the water requirements for agricultural crops are calculat- ed automatically. With this, farmers can prevent possible losses due to lasting drought or over- watering. This saves water and energy. It also


do not produce any offspring. By 2017, the country’s Mediterranean fruit fly population was officially eradicated. SIT is one of the most environmentally friendly control methods available. 2. In Tanzania, farmers are finding new uses for the indigenous Allanblackia tree. Its seed oil is rich in nutrients. Farmers have developed new products, such as skin creams and lotions, which are lucrative in the market and have at- tracted international attention. The budding supply chains in the country are contributing to alleviating poverty and conserving biodiver- sity, giving local farmers a chance to increase their incomes through access to international markets. 3. In India, the government of Telanagana state implemented a new insurance scheme called Rythu Bandhu. This programme grants farmers in the state Rs. 4 000 (US$ 55) per acre per sea- son to support farm investments and purchase farm inputs. Rythu Bandhu staff oversee


distribution of the funds, collect data on the uses and outcomes of the grants and develop a close relationship with the farmers to ensure successful crop planning. 4. Globally, a mobile app called eLocust3 is be- ing used to monitor and quickly detect one of the most dangerous migratory pest species in the world, the desert locust. The app combines the latest advances in information, communi- cation and satellite technologies into a unified monitoring and early warning system. It has contributed significantly to a decline in the du- ration, severity and frequency of devastating desert locust plagues in Africa and Asia. 5. Artificial intelligence platform Agripredict, started by a company in Zambia, uses a simple photo from a phone to detect the presence of pests or diseases. It can also forecast the prob- ability of invasions by pests, such as the Fall Ar- myworm, and predict the possibility of adverse weather patterns such as drought, floods and cold fronts.


prevents waterlogging and nutrient leaching. Farmers in Zambia can only grow wheat in the dry season with constant irrigation. The water comes from natural reservoirs that fill during the rainy season. Due to the excessive dry spells the water supplies have diminished. In 2018, one third less water was available, yet the pilot farm was still able to harvest up to 25% more wheat with the aid of targeted irri- gation. The savings on water were between 11 and 30%. At 70% usage, agriculture counts as the leading water consumer worldwide.


SwarmFarm Robotics launches sprayer


AUSTRALIA Australian SwarmFarm Robotics launched its first robotic sprayer onto the market, reports @AuManufacturing. The company pitches a fu- ture involving teams of small robot vehicles, working slowly but effectively, taking care of


6 ▶ FUTURE FARMING | 22 February 2019


tasks like weed spraying. Vehicles a tenth the size of a normal sprayer mean less soil com- paction, and precise application means much less pesticide use. Now in their fifth genera- tion, the robots are finally ready for manufac- ture. There are 25 robots on the order books. The company plans to make and sell 100 in 2019. “As we grow, as farmers or industries identify a particular need that they can use the robot for, we will encourage software develop- ers to develop the apps. They can then run them on our robots: a bit like the iPhone


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