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Drones help farmers grow greener

Growing demand for food is putting increasing pressure on the environment. Excess fertilizers and chemical sprays pollute waterways: In 2020, 2.66 billion metric tons of pesticides were used around the world. But drones could be the answer to transforming the way we farm, improving crop yield and limiting environmental impact.

Soil health is another area closely monitored by farmers, now aided by drone sensory data. Information captured by drones can help farmers analyze soil composition and decide where supplements are required, increasing crop yields.

“Drones are a new technology allowing farmers and consultants to obtain overhead images of farm fields and land areas at greatly reduced prices over satellite and other methods,” says Randy Price, precision farming specialist at Louisiana State University Agricultural Center.

Drones can be fitted with sensors and imaging technology, and this data plays an integral role in active farming. Among other uses, the data can help farmers identify health issues with the crop, such as fungal contaminations, pest infestations or areas of growth congestion. Identifying these issues early and targeting specific locations eliminates the need to spray entire crops with pesticides — which means less toxicants in the air, soil and food supply.

Randy Price – Louisiana State University Agricultural Center

But drones aren’t only used for capturing data, they’re also good workers. Beyond identifying the problem, they can also be the solution.

“Once images are obtained, spatial variability maps can be made and downloaded to sprayer drones, which will allow automatic spraying of selected areas with very little pilot attention needed — this technology is evolving rapidly and will eventually lead to effortless, precision spraying over larger areas of land in an entirely computer-controlled fashion,” Price tells KUST Review.

With any new technology, there are obstacles to overcome. The drones are equipped with 5G and send the data back to be analyzed, but connectivity issues could inhibit data collection and transmission; wind or rain can affect drone flights; governments may require clearance to use drones; and with added technology comes added costs.

Still, with the agricultural drone market expected to grow to $10.8 billion by 2028, up from $1.3 billion in 2020, these obstacles are expected to rapidly diminish.

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UAE team among winners of
global FoodTech Challenge

A team from the UAE is one of four winners of the second edition of the global FoodTech Challenge in Abu Dhabi.

The team from Dubai-based agritech company Revoltech uses electromagnetic fields to speed up the freezing process, which allows food to be preserved for up to 50 years.

Other companies sharing the win with Revoltech are:

  • Aguagrain — Creating a soil improver made from organic waste that can absorb 30 times its weight in water, supplying water and food to crops. It requires no fertilizers.
  • Sustainable Planet — Developing a plant-based protein that can be grown in salt water, with 20 times less water than other protein isolates require.
  • Orbisk — Using AI technology to quantify food waste to reduce food-waste cost, water waste and carbon emissions.

The Abu Dhabi Ministry of Climate Change and Environment started The FoodTech Challenge to encourage sustainable food production and address food waste.

The winners of the 2022 FoodTech Challenge will share a U.S.$2 million prize. The prize also includes start-up incentives, mentorship programs and grants. Close to 700 applicants from 79 countries applied for this year’s competition.

Others who have won the award have had success bringing their projects to life.

One of the winners from the first edition was Ryan Lefers of Saudi Arabia-based Red Sea Farms. Red Sea Farms builds sustainable technologies to grow food in such harsh environments as deserts.

For prospective participants in future FoodTech competitions, Lefers advises, “Carve out time to wholeheartedly invest in the process of the FoodTech Challenge because ultimately, it is an investment in your business. It is worth it to create a thoughtful application and to engage fully in all of the mentor sessions,” in an interview with FoodTech Challenge.

Global food insecurity is on the rise. The World Food Programme estimates 345.2 million people in the world will be food insecure in 2023 — double what it was in 2020.