Why agriculture needs data
Global agriculture faces a hard set of pressures at once:
- Production must rise about 70% by 2050 to feed a population of roughly 9.1 billion.
- Water, energy and farmland are not growing to match.
- Consumers want greater traceability and control of chemical inputs.
- Climate change brings more frost, disease and heat risk.
- New exporting countries are adding competition.
The answer from GHI's AgTech Division is Agriculture Kit 4.0: a family of products and services that turn farm data into better management decisions and higher profitability.
Three core technologies
Cloud computing, big data and sensorization. Together they connect every data source — sensors, machinery, irrigation systems, weather services and business systems — into one platform that centralizes, processes and interprets it.
All the data in one SmartAPP
The Greenfield Ag SmartAPP brings together soil, plants, labour, microclimate, weather networks, weather forecasts, field observations, irrigation systems and lab analysis of leaf, water and soil. Growers and managers can see the current and forecast status of their crops, the risks facing them, and act on it from any internet-connected device.
- Greenfield Ag Sensors — a datalogger that records the microclimates of a plot and measures up to 24 crop-related parameters. It can run on solar recharging, batteries or mains power.
- Greenfield Ag Soft — the cloud service that combines sensor readings, external weather data and user input for real-time, 24/7 monitoring.
- A digital field notebook — record every task and download a complete logbook in one click, while advisors can manage several notebooks at once.
A knowledge engine with 100+ models
The GHI cloud runs more than 100 algorithms and models covering the most important aspects of crop management. Each can be customized and learns from the specific conditions of each farm and crop to make predictions, including:
- Water resources — vapour pressure deficit, evapotranspiration models and personalized water balance.
- Disease and pest risk — for field crops, fruit and vegetables, olives and vineyards.
- Growth and production — degree days, chill hours, phenological development and yield.
- Meteorology — microclimate-adjusted forecasts and frost warnings 7 to 15 days out.
What growers get
| Smart platform | All information, anywhere, on any device |
|---|---|
| Monitoring | Control the climatic parameters affecting each farm and plot |
| Weather forecasts | Real-time forecasts for your plots so you stay ahead of events |
| Alarms | Scheduled SMS and email alerts for the conditions you care about |
| Irrigation savings | Program irrigation from real-time soil water content |
| Task log | Record all activities and export a complete logbook for inspectors |
What's in the kit
A typical deployment includes a weatherproof gateway and datalogger, a solar-powered weather station, a solar radiation sensor, soil moisture probes, climate sensors and a touchscreen controller. Irrigation sensors add onto an existing system, install easily and, with regular maintenance, last for years while cutting water use and improving crop quality.