Could agri-tech bridge the farming divide?

As part of our “Back to the Future” project, we’re asking Agri-TechE members to reflect on how the agri-tech industry has evolved over the past decade and to share their vision for the next ten years. By compiling these insights, we aim to create a powerful outlook on the future of agriculture, a compelling call to arms for the industry driven by the diverse perspectives of our community.

This submission is part of the collection of reflections and predictions from our members, offering unique perspectives on the industry’s past milestones and future directions. Each contribution adds to a broader dialogue about the innovations and challenges that will shape the next decade in agri-tech.

AgritechE: What do you think is the game-changing tech development we’ve seen in the last 10 years?

Farmable:

Our team works with a large number of fruit growers, who deal with high volumes of people in their operations, particularly around harvest time. It has been very inspiring to see the advancements in robotics that could automate some of the more human-intensive work happening on farms around the world.

Examples of robotics teams that inspire us are:

1. GUSS: Autonomous Sprayers
2. Saga Robotics: Autonomous treatment for powdery mildew
3. Tevel: Autonomous harvesting robots

Challenges still remain. The cost of even piloting these technologies is high and really only accessible to the largest operators out there. Network connectivity and having the necessary technology skills on a farming team are two other factors that can put these types of advancements out of reach for many farms.

So while these advancements are important for the long term viability of the industry, there are barriers to adoptions that need to be addressed first.

AgritechE: What’s the biggest challenge to widespread adoption?

Farmable: Network connectivity.

This is a real frustration for a huge number of farms globally. Our team works with farms primarily across the UK, Germany, Spain, South Africa and Australia. The number of farms who still struggle with network access out in the fields is high. And if you want to record data digitally in the field, in real time, we need rural connectivity.

Fortunately, teams like Starlink are working hard to solve this on a global scale but admittedly it’s frustrating to see that this is still such a significant barrier in 2024.

AgritechE: What do you think is the most exciting thing we’ll see in 10 years’ time?

Farmable: It will be very exciting to see technology empower small and medium sized farms to operate profitable, sustainable businesses.

Family farms are at risk of being left behind in a generation that uses pen and paper to operate a business. At Farmable we aspire for a future where:

• All farms have network connectivity
• Digital tools are accessible for all (easy to use and low-cost)

These are fundamental rights to any business that wants to survive in the long run so we feel obligated to ensure the farms that feed us also have these basic services.

If we can do that, small and medium farms have a chance at competing with the big farms. Technology can help them more easily comply with regulations, opening doors to new markets and ensuring they receive value for their products. This becomes a reality when product quality can be verified and traced using technology that is accessible to all. It will allow all farms, small and large, to receive fair payment for the products they grow.

Technology will hopefully be the great equaliser in the future of farming.

Learn more about Farmable