Artificial intelligence technology allows farmers to target crop pests

Protein Industries Canada has announced the development of a new technology that targets pests during field spraying, increasing efficiency and providing economic benefits to farmers.

The technology uses artificial intelligence (AI) to detect weeds and other crop pests as it passes over the field. This is estimated to reduce pesticide use by up to 95% while maintaining crop yields, saving farmers around C$52 (£30) per hectare during the growing season. The technology can also be retrofitted to upgrade new or existing sprayers, making it suitable for all Canadian farmers.

The C$26.2 million (£15 million) project is being led by Precision.ai, Sure Growth Solutions, Exceed Grain Marketing and the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at the University of Saskatchewan. The partners are collectively investing C$13.4 million (£7.6 million) in the project, with Protein Industries Canada investing the remaining C$12.8 million (£7.4 million). The project is expected to create around 120 new Canadian jobs over the next five years.

“This new project, supported by the Protein Supercluster, is a great example of how superclusters are bringing innovation into agricultural practice, using advanced technology such as artificial intelligence (AI), and creating new, high-paying jobs,” said Navdeep Bains, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. “With the collaboration of three SMEs and a university research centre, this project could drastically reduce chemical pesticide use without reducing yields or quality.”

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