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In the second millennium, we are challenged in new ways to increase productivity while minimizing inputs, managing costs and respecting the environment. Arable land and water are in short supply. Climate change is having a big impact on crop variability and yield. The global food system will need to be capable of producing food for a projected 9 billion people by 2050.
The arrival of big data sensing, collecting, processing and storage systems is meeting robots, drones and other hardware is beginning to promise big returns on the same amount of soil.
Amir Nashat, and Polaris Ventures in Waltham, MA have been active with AgBiome, a company that uses microbes to increase crop productivity. He is not only intent on microbiomes, he also is watching over development of new systems for managing drought and other extreme weather conditions.
Joining Nashat is another agtech entrepreneur, Tom Laurita, president and CEO of NewLeaf Symbiotics. Laurita works from below, with plant bacteria to improve seed productivity.
Now more than ever, scientists, engineers, farmers and environmentalists need to close ranks to take a serious look at how to address the production end of our food system with new and integrated knowledge.
Read full, original post: The State Of Agtech
