Every growing season, farmers stake their livelihoods around a major element they can’t control: weather. But The Yield, an agricultural technology company based in Australia, uses sensors, data and artificial intelligence (AI) to help farmers make informed decisions related to weather, soil and plant conditions.
“How do we feed the world without wrecking the planet?” says Ros Harvey, who founded The Yield in 2014. “We do that by taking the guesswork out of growing. This means growers can make better, faster decisions about how they produce the food we all eat.”
Sensors in the company’s end-to-end solution measure 12 important factors including soil moisture, leaf wetness, light, wind and rain. Using Microsoft AI, The Yield applies advanced analytics and predictive modeling to create a 7-day weather forecast for a farmer’s specific microclimate. An intuitive mobile application helps farmers use the forecast to determine how, when and where best to plant, irrigate, protect, feed and harvest their crops.
The Yield built its first product for the oyster industry, learning how to solve problems for oyster farmers and regulators.
