Tel Aviv, Israel: Fermata, a data science company focused on computer vision solutions for agriculture, has partnered with agRE.tech, the developer of a robotic operating system for sustainable autonomous agrivoltaics farming. This collaboration aims to introduce AI-enabled crop screening to the growing agrivoltaics sector. The partnership integrates Fermata’s Croptimus platform, which provides real-time pest and disease monitoring, with agRE.tech’s autonomous robotic system, delivering a fully automated crop management solution for growers.
Globally, farmers lose approximately US$290 billion worth of crops annually to diseases and pests, facing significant challenges in maintaining profitability and addressing labour shortages that contribute to food insecurity. As the world increasingly embraces green solutions to combat climate change, many farmers have transitioned agricultural land to solar panel installations, attracted by higher revenue opportunities. However, regulatory constraints on agricultural land use for solar power have created difficulties for growers. Agrivoltaics, the dual use of land for both solar energy production and agriculture, has emerged as a sustainable solution that addresses climate change and food security simultaneously.
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By incorporating Fermata’s Croptimus system into agRE.Tech’s solar-powered robots, this partnership creates a sustainable and cost-effective method for AI-enabled crop screening. This integration allows growers to focus on mitigating crop threats in open fields rather than merely identifying them. Croptimus’s 360-degree rotating cameras enable precise crop scanning, so each agRE.tech robot requires only one camera to effectively monitor crops.
Powered by advanced AI algorithms and trained on high-quality data, Croptimus operates round the clock, analysing each plant to detect potential threats. When a threat is identified, the system sends real-time alerts to the agRE.os and the growers. agRE.tech’s robots can then autonomously address the threat by selectively applying treatments to the precise location, minimising the use of chemical pesticides and expensive biological controls.
agRE.tech’s A²PV operating system utilises AI to enable fully autonomous farming through robotics. This system facilitates continuous data collection, selective spraying, pruning, harvesting, and more. Beyond autonomous crop management, the startup’s advanced system also manages the control and maintenance of solar fields, ensuring a sustainable energy source and generating additional revenue from surplus energy. agRE.tech has established significant partnerships with industry leaders, including Zemach, an agricultural cooperative, and EDF Renewables while developing the world’s first Robotic-APV field, where Fermata’s Croptimus platform has been integrated.
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Valeria Kogan, CEO and Founder of Fermata said, “We are excited to collaborate with agRE.tech, as their model, which combines advanced robotics with agri-photovoltaics to enhance farm productivity sustainably, represents a blueprint for the future of sustainable farming. Addressing global warming and food insecurity are enormous challenges, but agRE.tech’s approach effectively tackles both by integrating robots in agri-solar fields to handle critical farming operations. This saves farmers’ money on labour and provides additional income opportunities. At Fermata, we are proud to integrate our platform with agRE.tech’s to support growers’ businesses.”
“Croptimus impressed us with its advanced capabilities in disease detection and pest management, making it an ideal complement to our cutting-edge A²PV operating system,” said, Elad Levy, CEO and Co-Founder of agRE.tech.
“Our mission is to be a leader in the rapidly growing agrivoltaics market and to offer a transformative solution for the agri-photovoltaic business model by maximising our renewable energy potential through the use of robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), controlled PV panels, and other advanced technologies. The agriculture industry is under significant pressure, and we are committed to finding sustainable, technology-driven solutions. Fermata was a natural partner in our efforts to address crop disease prevention and pest management,” Elad Levy further said.
(The story is based on a press release. All facts and figures are provided by Fermata and agRE.tech.)
