Agripreneurs given a glimpse into the future of farming

The next crop of billionaires coming from agriculture will be neat entrepreneurs who will be ahead of the technological revolution curve that is shaping up into a battle of agricultural machine manufactures.

A farmer can now just press a button to dispatch a robot that fights deadly fungi and other dangerous microorganisms naturally, without a drop of harmful and expensive pesticides on the farm. As he retires to bed, the robot will be out there, moving from one row of his crop to the next, identifying the infected plants and neutralising them using ultraviolet rays.

In the new age farming, the world of tractors will also change, and in a big way as agricultural machinery manufacturers compete to develop cutting edge technology that will mint the next crop of billionaires from agribusiness. The modern tractor will not just be green, but also hybrid. They are also going to roll out of manufacturing lines fully kitted with in-built artificial intelligence capabilities. This will ensure the farmer gets the cheapest cost of utilisation of the machines for optimum performance.

This world is not in the future, it’s happening already as manufacturers ready the runaway to start shipping the new machines to international markets. Powering SMEs got a front row seat at a gathering of some of the biggest makers of agricultural machines in Italy last week, as they congregated to give the world a glimpse into the future of farming.

The machines were on display at the latest Eima 2021 exhibition in Bologna, Italy, where the giants in agricultural machinery manufacturing gave farmers a chance to test and experience their latest toys. More than 1,350 exhibitors brought their latest machines and innovations, among them 350 from 40 different countries.

Irrigation machines

The fair also attracted 300 official delegations from 61 countries. At the exhibition, it emerged that the next generation of billionaires to be made from farming will have access to top of the range machines that promise to replace almost the entire agricultural value chain.

From seeders to irrigation machines, combine harvesters to tractors, manufacturers are now incorporating artificial intelligence in the design of their machines, targeting the big manufacturing corporations at a time when most graduates prefer other modern jobs over farming.

One of cutting-edge technology on display was ICARO X4, the first hybrid robot in the world with UV-C rays that attack vicious fungi and other microorganisms in farms. The robot, which will cut the expensive costs of pesticide treatment, is on the last stages of manufacturing. It will also work at night, when powdery mildew and downy mildew are most defenseless from UV rays.

The makers of the robot say it is not a curative system but an active prevention system that will, from day-to-day, deal with attacks by common diseases. What is more, it is a ‘green robot’, which means that the farms it will operate from will be free from pesticides, which are the current norm, making it possible for wine and fruit farmers to grow 100 percent natural crops.

This comes at a time when the world is shifting in favour of technology that protects the environment, organic products, the green economy and sustainable agriculture. Its current maximum coverage capacity for prevention for each robot is between 10 to 15 hectares depending on various factors such as the degree of the slope, the type of ground and the navigation paths from one farm to the next. Each robot will come with a ‘commander’ in the form of an environmental laboratory installed in the farm.

The commander has special sensors to help analyse the wind speed, temperature, humidity and other conditions before deployment via a highly guarded algorithm. An infection will be noticed by a radio signal, and this will activate the robot to unleash the UV rays to deal with the infected area immediately and then continue with its inspection. Several years after the first hybrid tractor debuted at the international fair, manufacturers are now done with a model that is ready to be placed in the international market.

Among the star attractions at the fair was the SRX Hybrid, which is fueled by both diesel and electricity. The manufacturer of the tractor says a farmer has the option of starting the day on a roaring and fully electrically charged tractor, which performs just as well as on diesel. The only difference is that it will be cheaper and friendlier to the environment.

Should the farmer exhaust the charge before finishing up the day’s tasks, then they have the option of charging it using a mobile electric charging machine or if there is no access to electricity, then the farmer can switch back to diesel until the next charging break. A charging machine developed by Siemens was also on display at the fair, giving visitors a first chance to test it for themselves.

In the new world of hybrid tractors, farmers will reap the benefits from less diesel consumption and will have access to more tools that have lesser damage on the environment. Hybrid tractors also require little maintenance while guaranteeing greater productivity compared to traditional tractors. Countries that also import diesel like Kenya will have a cheaper alternative in the hybrid tractors.

Besides a rich mix of machinery on display, visitors were also given a chance to experience the latest irrigation systems, planters, fruit harvesters, nut cleaners, shakers, pruning machines, bale cutters, seed drills, seeders and combine harvesters among others.

A Kenyan has already taken delivery of the Mzuri planter, which is best used for barley, wheat and sunflower. The modern planter saves water and ensures optimal usage of fertiliser and seeds.

“We recognised the importance of fertiliser placement below the seed so we incorporated this into the design of our leading leg to provide narrow tilled and fertilised strips between untilled soil,” says the company behind the planter.

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