Abu Dhabi-based Pure Harvest Smart Farms has secured US$50 million in growth funding through a unique, Islamic structured finance solution – a highly structured ‘sukuk’ with embedded warrants – led by SHUAA Capital. The sukuk comes on the heels of a successful second growth equity raise of US$10 million, led by Sancta Capital in January 2021. Founded in Abu Dhabi to provide the Middle East region with local, sustainable food sources, Pure Harvest, which will soon complete its third hybrid greenhouse growing system within the Emirates, is currently constructing its beachhead in Saudi Arabia, and has announced a further €39…
Author: Anthony James
Anthony James
With over 20 years experience in editorial management and content creation for a broad spectrum of market-leading B2B magazines and websites in the transport and technology sectors, Anthony has written news and features covering everything from airport security to autonomous vehicles, and stadium design to sustainable energy.
Trimble and VayaVision, a LeddarTech Company, have established an alliance to bring advanced perception technology to the agriculture sector. The integration of VayaVision’s raw data sensor fusion and perception software platform with Trimble’s machine control technology will enable intelligent automation in the complex work environments found in farming. Together, Trimble and VayaVision expect to provide an innovative hardware and software portfolio, improving autonomous machine performance in a number of agricultural applications. Reliable environmental mapping for improved autonomous farm machinery The alliance is focused on advancing data fusion for multi-sensor systems such as LiDAR, cameras and GNSS, which are used to…
European farm management software provider, eAgronom, has announced its entry into the Australian market. The company’s platform provides grain growers with a rich set of features, ease of use, and complete independence from agricultural chemical and fertiliser vendors. A complete cloud-based farm management platform for grain growers and agronomists, the software helps growers keep farm records in one place and gives a financial overview on crop and paddock basis. The platform enables agronomists to communicate with growers on a mutual platform, share scouting notes and recommend inputs. The software features interactive maps, historical spraying and weather records, crop and financial…
Tel-Aviv-based agtech and precision irrigation specialist Netafim has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Dutch turnkey greenhouse projects provider Gakon. Already active for several decades in the greenhouse market, the acquisition further expands Netafim’s offering in the production and supply of top-tier greenhouse projects to meet the increasing demand for the most advanced farming methods and locally grown fresh produce. Netafim will provide growers with a comprehensive offering of the best greenhouse technologies, structures, irrigation, fertigation, and crop growing expertise, as well as other ag-related services to enable farmers to maximise productivity and efficiency in all climate conditions. The companies…
John Deere has introduced See & Spray™ Select, the first commercially available John Deere machine featuring advanced spraying technology to help target and tame weeds. Farmers can use See & Spray Select, installed on a John Deere Sprayer, to minimise input costs and only spray weeds when they are detected. The technology makes it possible for farmers to use more expensive and complex tank mixes more efficiently than what they can otherwise broadcast, improving their ability to control herbicide-resistant weeds at a lower cost, according to the company. A big reduction in herbicide use with a similar broadcast hit rate…
Demetria, a Bogota-based, AI-powered taste and quality intelligence SaaS startup for the coffee supply chain, has emerged from stealth after closing a US$3 million seed funding round led by LatAm-Israeli investor Celeritas and a group of private investors, including Mercantil Colpatria, the investment branch of Grupo Colpatria, a leading player in the Colombian financial sector. The company has pioneered the digitisation of coffee aroma and taste, the most important quality variables of the coffee bean. For the first time, quality and taste can now be assessed at any stage of the coffee production and distribution process, from farm to table.…
Bayer will introduce Vanity Citrus, a new biological and pheromone-based crop protection product to control pests on citrus farms, during next week’s International Symposium on Horticulture in Europe – SHE2021 (March 8-11), which will see scientists and industry leaders discuss the latest achievements and developments in horticulture. Vanity Citrus is an innovative device – a container with an active liquid inside – that does not generate resistance or residues in harvests or in the environment, according to Bayer. It says it is the first such product on the market that is formulated with pheromones and natural pyrethrum to control pests…
A study conducted by NovaCropControl has found Moleaer’s oxygen-enriched nanobubbles improve root health, nutrient uptake, and ultimately tomato size while maintaining nutrient density. An industry-leading research and testing centre based in the Netherlands, NovaCropControl independently evaluated the impact of chemical-free nanobubble enriched irrigation water on tomato fruit growth, pathogen control, and nutrient uptake. In a side-by-side study, NovaCropControl irrigated plants with technology provided by Moleaer, a global leader in nanobubble technology. It found that plants irrigated with Moleaer’s nanobubbles had more efficient nutrient uptake and water usage; improved capillary root development; increased resilience to high heat; and reduced Pythium levels…
Future Acres – a Californian agricultural robotics start-up has just launched, with an ambition to raise up to US$3 million in seed capital via equity crowdfunding site SeedInvest. The company is producing an autonomous, electric agricultural robotic harvest companion, named ‘Carry’, to help farmers gather hand-picked crops faster and with less physical demand, increasing production efficiency by almost a third. Through advanced artificial intelligence (AI), automation and electric power, Future Acres says Carry will help streamline the harvesting process, as a result of its ability to transport up to 500 lbs of crops such as grapes and other delicate, soft…
Goanna Ag, an Australian supplier of on-farm sensor solutions, and Myriota, which provides low-cost and low-power satellite connectivity for the Internet of Things (IoT), have launched not one but two innovative new products set to change how farmers manage water resources: GoRain and GoTank. GoRain allows farmers to monitor rain data remotely, gain a better understanding of rain variability across their farms, and enable data-driven decisions to support stronger crop yields. GoTank is designed for the livestock industry, and remotely updates farmers on water tank levels. It ensures livestock well-being and removes the need to manually check water tanks. Underpinned…
