With the aid of its cutting-edge technology, Israel is at the forefront of the race to improve the prospects of its farmers as climate change and population growth pose ever-greater challenges to agriculture.
Over 500 agri-tech companies in Israel were recently listed in a Start-Up Nation Central report, and these businesses needed Israeli technology and knowledge.
According to Shmuel Friedman, CEO of the consulting company Green Wadi, Israel’s agricultural expertise and cutting-edge technology industry produce a variety of agriculture technologies that can aid farmers in the future.
He shared that one of the biggest challenges facing agriculture is a lack of people willing to work in the field. “You need alternatives, whether in the form of robots or machines that can replace working hands,” said Friedman.
However, Tevel, a company that uses drones to pick fruit from trees, was founded and is headed by Yanir Maor.
According to a report by AFP, more than ten years ago Maor came to the conclusion that there were not enough people picking fruit and that there would not be any more in the future. Crop production would rise concurrently, resulting in an increase in population and consumption. Robotics was therefore the answer.
The Tevel system consists of eight drones that are linked to a platform that utilises AI and machine learning to analyse pictures of the fruit captured by their cameras.
Over 40 different types of fruit can be processed using the technology, which is used in Israel, the United States, Italy, and Chile. The system makes all of its own decisions, including whether to pick the fruit, how to get to it, and how to detach it.
The technology has been praised by farmers, who claim it has the unimaginable potential to advance their “primitive” line of work.
Moreover, BloomX, an Israeli company, uses algorithms to predict the optimal time for pollination to maximise its efficacy.
Founder and CEO Thai Sade said that such artificial pollination can help boost crop yields to feed the world’s growing population.
Ofri Yongrman Sela, who oversees avocado, wheat, and persimmon production at the Eyal kibbutz, said that of all the unknowns in his line of work, pollination is the “most difficult” to manage.
Additionally, using BloomX’s technology alongside bees has raised yields by up to 40%.
The firm’s artificial pollination is an attempt to deal with many of the problems faced today, which are expected to worsen in the future. These problems include the shortage of pollinating insects and the risks global warming poses to them.
Meanwhile, BloomX’s technology offers a cost-effective way to make better use of existing orchards, as planting a new one is much more expensive. It is an example of Israeli innovation in agriculture that can help feed the world’s growing population.
Sela, who has worked as a farmer for over a decade, has noticed the rapid changes his sector has undergone. Agriculture is now supported by sensors that measure soil parameters, drones, and big data, he said, adding that “technology has entered every corner.”
