With AI and robotics, two Israeli startups showcase the future of sustainable farming

As record-breaking temperatures hit Israel this summer, climate change alters the reality on the ground through extreme weather events and depleting resources that force farms and growers to adapt – ultimately fueling a worldwide rise in food insecurity.

Food insecurity isn’t only on the upswing thanks to climate change. Farm-related factors such as labor shortages – often caused by wars, political instability, and pandemics – also exacerbate food insecurity.

Food waste is another complex contributor to this phenomenon, and it isn’t just the result of throwing away leftovers from the dinner table. In fact, more than 15% of food is lost before ever leaving the farm, according to 2021 data from the World Wildlife Fund.

Each year, $290 billion worth of crops are lost to diseases and pests globally as rising temperatures and unpredictable weather fuel an eruption in pests and diseases.

To help address the growing threat of pests and disease sustainably, a new partnership between Fermata and agRE.tech demonstrates an effective model powered by AI and advanced robotics to curb these issues while also accounting for labor shortages.

These two Israeli agritech companies present a new standard for sustainable agriculture, highlighting the growing influence of AI, Big Data, and other technologies in making agriculture more efficient.

The impact of the partnership

As part of the collaboration, Fermata has integrated its core product, Croptimus, with agRE.tech’s solar-powered autonomous robotic system, which fully automates the crop management process.

Croptimus functions by leveraging high-quality data, machine learning, and an advanced computer-vision system to mitigate crop threats efficiently. Its partner agRE.tech is a pioneer in the emerging space of agri-photovoltaics, or the dual use of land for agriculture and solar-power generation, where it has introduced a groundbreaking, patent-pending operating system to manage all robotic operations from start to finish.

By embedding Croptimus into agRE.tech’s solar-powered robots, the partnership brings a sustainable and cost-efficient method for crop screening to a struggling agriculture sector. By addressing the shortage of skilled farm workers such as scouters, who work tirelessly to check each crop, Croptimus’s early-detection capabilities allow growers to shift their focus from simply discovering crop threats in orchards, vineyards, and open fields to mitigating them before they worsen.

“Croptimus thoroughly impressed us thanks to its advanced capabilities in disease detection and pest management, perfectly complementing our cutting-edge A²PV operating system,” said Elad Levy, CEO and co-founder of agRE.tech.

Originally intended for use in greenhouses, Croptimus’s cameras, when attached to robots such as agRE.tech’s, can defend outdoor crops effectively with just one camera. Thanks to Fermata’s AI model, Croptimus can detect a wide range of threats, sending automatic updates to growers and agRE.tech’s operating system, enabling the robots to autonomously spray the appropriate treatment to the exact problem area.

This model allows growers to address pressing labor shortages while protecting crops from harmful threats that cut into declining profit margins and curbing food waste.

Cutting-edge technology for saving money and labor 

“Tackling global warming and food insecurity are massive challenges, but agRE.tech’s approach kills two birds with one stone by integrating robots in agri-solar fields to handle major farming operations, saving farmers money on labor and enabling additional income,” Fermata CEO and founder Valeria Kogan said.

Founded in 2020 and based within the Mikveh Israel Agriculture School compound in Holon, Fermata focuses on applying data science and computer-vision solutions to relieve challenges afflicting commercial agriculture. Its flagship product, Croptimus, became market-ready in 2022 after undergoing extensive R&D.

Croptimus is compatible with standard security cameras and can be placed within greenhouses or installed on agricultural drones that can rotate 360° to precisely scan open fields, vineyards, and orchards without expensive hardware investments.

AgRE.tech’s A²PV (Autonomous-Agri-Photovoltaic) operating system leverages robotics, manipulators, sensors, controlled PV panels, and cutting-edge AI. Its unique technology maximizes renewable energy production and boosts crop yields while reducing labor costs. The company has finalized a product prototype and established a demo farm in northern Israel to showcase the full capabilities of its robotics system, which operates alongside solar panels, supplying clean energy for the entire operation.

This partnership exemplifies how Israeli companies continue to innovate in agriculture as the industry constantly changes from environmental challenges and global contractions in food supply. Through the spirit of collaboration, Fermata and agRE.tech are helping farmers easily adapt to meet the needs of their businesses and the world as well.

The Environment and Climate Change portal is produced in cooperation with the Goldman Sonnenfeldt School of Sustainability and Climate Change at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. The Jerusalem Post maintains all editorial decisions related to the content.

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