The threats related to climate change pose a significant risk to the food supply chain. The Israeli startup Croptimize presented an innovative solution in 2021, capable of optimizing the use of arable land. Developed over 25 years of research at the Faculty of Agriculture of the Hebrew University, its software combines physical and biological crop models with artificial intelligence and geospatial algorithms. It allows for determining what, where, and when to cultivate.
In recent years, the effects of temperature change on crops have challenged producers and farmers. They must ensure production and food security despite the inherent climate challenges. The global population is expected to reach 9 billion by 2030, leading to an 85% increase in food demand. According to Croptimize, a 10% decrease in arable land could result in a rise in prices for essential crops and potentially lead to a severe food crisis.
The cutting-edge technology implemented by Israeli engineers ensures a reliable supply of strategic crops (such as corn, wheat, potatoes, barley) on both global and local scales.
Scalable, it goes beyond the limitations of current agricultural planning systems. It also addresses the urgent need to identify new regions for cultivation. “Before the creation of Croptimize, our CEO Shai Gilboa was working with various organizations. He needed to find a solution to plan the food industry long-term using digital tools. That’s how he and I, along with several investors, met. Together, we thought about a technology developed by players involved in food supply worldwide,” explains Pamela Jramoy, co-founder of Croptimize.
A major digital advancement
“Due to climate change, the entire food production chain is impacted and constantly undergoing disruptions. This hinders the stability of major agri-food companies and poses a real problem for them: in a few years, will they still be able to meet production goals? However, thanks to this software, we are now capable of planning responses over ten years that take into account climate change. Thus, we can assess what to cultivate, and what the appropriate quantities and qualities will be. The geospatial and AI algorithms integrated into the technology gather all the information from the past, present, and long-term predictions that we provide about the crops. And we achieve spectacular results. We also do multi-crop modeling, which really is our trademark,” specifies Pamela Jramoy.
Croptimize modernizes the planning of arable land use and transitions years of traditional agricultural planning into the digital age. It notably uses agricultural, geospatial, and market data to combat supply obstacles and financial risks related to yield losses. It also enables cultivation under better conditions globally and reduces political instability related to food insecurity. “We can determine which type of crop will be most advantageous to produce in the coming years and advise players in the food supply chain on how to proceed. We do not use sensors or any kind of equipment. We do not go to the field. But we manage to obtain accurate data to provide guidance to producers, depending on the country they are in, the cultivated lands, and the climate,” assures Pamela.
Major companies convinced
Croptimize has already proven itself with major consumer brands such as Pepsico and Coca-Cola, as well as banks, government entities, insurers, and producers with whom it works worldwide on long-term supply plans. “In the case of banks and insurers, we need to conduct preliminary risk analyses in the food supply sector,” emphasizes the co-founder of Croptimize.
Currently, the company is primarily developing paid pilot projects for clients based in the United States, South America, the United Arab Emirates, and Abu Dhabi. In the long term, it hopes to expand into Africa and Europe to address the global food industry market.
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