IT in the agro-industrial complex of Russia
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Drones in agriculture
Main article: Drones in Agriculture
Unmanned tractors in agriculture
Internet of Things in Agriculture (IoTAg)
Main article: Internet of Things in Agriculture (IoTAg)
Artificial intelligence in agriculture (agro-industrial complex)
Main article: Artificial intelligence in agriculture (agro-industrial complex)
History
2024: 25.6% decline in investment in agrotech companies to $6 billion
At the end of 2024, venture capital investments in startups in the field of agricultural technologies on a global scale amounted to about $6 billion. This is 25.6% less than in the previous year, when the indicator was estimated at about $8 billion. Such data are given in a study by Pitchbook, the results of which were released at the end of January 2025.
The number of transactions in the agrotech sector in 2024 is estimated to have decreased by 24.3%. At the same time, despite the general decline in activity, the median value of transactions reached $3.6 million, which is a new record. This trend is due to the increased attention to startups at a later stage. Against the background of a decrease in investments for the year as a whole, in the last quarter of 2024 there was a tendency to restore the industry: the volume of investments increased to $1.8 billion in 149 transactions, which is 8.9% more compared to the previous quarter.
 | Although it is too early to declare a full recovery in venture capital investment in agrotechnology, some optimism is justified, since the value of transactions has grown, says PitchBook agricultural technology analyst Alex Frederick. |  |
The study notes that 2024 turned out to be a difficult year for the agricultural technology sector: a number of once promising startups declared bankruptcy or a reduction in activity due to the difficult economic situation. Amid market uncertainty, investors have switched to projects with good market prospects and a stable position. For example, biostimulator manufacturer Sound Agriculture has raised $25 million in venture capital funding. And Carbon Robotics, which develops the LaserWeeder robotic system for killing weeds using a laser, received $70 million for development.
PitchBook analysts emphasize that in 2024, the precision farming segment became the leader in investment in agrotech companies. Labor shortages are driving innovation in automation, robotics and related software solutions, attracting increased attention from investors.
On the other hand, changing market trends have hit the vertical farming segment hard. We are talking about highly automated agro-industrial complexes for growing cultivated plants by hydroponics or aeroponics methods in closed rooms inside a building specially designed or adapted for this. According to Pitchbook, at least 28 companies in this area declared bankruptcy in 2024 or ceased operations.
Investors in 2024 also preferred startups that sought to address food security, climate change and other global issues. Funding went to companies whose activities are related to artificial intelligence technologies, autonomous platforms and gene editing. In particular, the funds were attracted by the American biotechnology and genetic engineering company Colossal Biosciences, working to revive extinct species of animals, including the woolly mammoth, Tasmanian tiger, northern white rhino, etc. In general, the authors of the study believe that in the future the market recovery will continue.
| | The industry's focus on capital-efficient solutions and sustainable development, coupled with advances in regenerative agriculture, agrobiology and robotics, provides it with potential growth in the coming years, Pitchbook said in a report.[1] | |
2023
Investment in agrotech startups in the world collapsed by 49%
In 2023, agri-food startups on a global scale raised approximately $15.6 billion. This is 49.2% less than in the previous year, when the amount of funding was estimated at $30.5 billion. Investment in agricultural technology reached its lowest level in six years. Such data are given in the AgFunder study, the results of which were published in mid-March 2024.
It is noted that capital investments have decreased in all industry categories, with the exception of bioenergy and biomaterials, as well as agricultural robotics mechanization and equipment. In particular, the field of bioenergy and biomaterials has become the largest area, receiving $3 billion in 2023. This is about 20% more than in 2022. Investments in agricultural robotics, mechanization and equipment showed an increase of 9% on an annualized basis - up to $760 million.
The study said funding for start-ups that run farm and food operations accounted for 62% of total investment in 2023. In 2022, this figure was 51%, in 2021 - 30%. The number of deals fell by 26% in 2023, and their average size decreased by 9% year-on-year.
| | Although the total volume of dollar investments in 2023 decreased by 49.2% compared to 2022, the number of transactions over the same period decreased by a more modest 26%, which reflects the growing popularity of smaller rounds - investors continue to cut costs compared to the rapid development of the industry in 2021 and early 2022, - the authors of the report note. | |
At the end of 2023, approximately 39.4% of all investments, or about $6.1 billion, fell on the American region. Europe provided another 32.9% of investments - approximately $5.1 billion. About 24.5% were investments in the Asian market - $3.8 billion. 1.7%, or $260 million, invested in the African region.
In general, as noted, in 2023, all regions of the world faced the consequences of an economic downturn. Europe did not feel this so keenly, as dollar funding decreased by 14% compared to the previous year. The level of investment in Africa remained above the 2021 figure. At the same time, Asia was unable to restore its indicators to the values observed before the COVID-19 pandemic.
They were especially hard hit, USA where investments on an annualized basis fell by 58% - to $5.4 billion. That represents just over 30% of the industry's total. By comparison, the country usually accounts for at least 40% of global investment. In emerging markets China India and lost ground to other countries. In 2023, they accounted for a total of 40% of funding, compared with 55% in 2021. Startups in, Indonesia Saudi Arabia, and Israel Brazil hit Singapore the top 20 deals in emerging markets.
Financing in the field of biotechnology (Ag Biotech) in 2023 decreased by 34% - to $1.9 billion. In other areas, the fall turned out to be even more significant: new agricultural systems - minus 79%, cloud retail - minus 75%, sale of consumer goods (food, beverages, baby food, household chemicals, related products, etc.) through the Internet - minus 60%, software for farm management, sensors and the Internet of things - minus 58%, technologies for retail and restaurants - minus 57%, technologies for home and cooking - minus 53%, innovative products - minus 51%.[2]
The world market for smart agriculture predicts a volume of $18 billion. Main agrotech trends for 2024
At the end of 2022, the installed base of Internet of Things devices for precision farming, livestock management and tracking of agricultural equipment amounted to approximately 200 million units. In 2024, this value may reach 300 million, which will correspond to an increase of 50%. Such data are given in a study by Deloitte, the results of which were published in early December 2023.
Analysts note that the COVID-19 pandemic, the current geopolitical situation, macroeconomic difficulties and the crisis have seriously hit the agricultural industry. The increase in labor, fertilizer and equipment costs leads to an increase in the cost of products. It is estimated that in 2023 the number of people facing food insecurity reached 345 million, compared with 135 million in the pre-pandemic period. At the same time, the average age of farmers is growing, and the number of those for whom agriculture is the main activity is decreasing. All this increases the risk of a food crisis.
At the same time, Deloitte notes, the use of IT technologies in agriculture makes it possible to increase crop yields, use equipment effectively, plan activities better, introduce sustainable production methods, reduce harmful emissions into the atmosphere and reduce costs. Analysts call several key agrotech trends in 2024.
Field work
IoT devices and satellite communications enable the collection of important data on soil type, humidity and weather conditions. Further analysis helps to estimate the volume of water and the amount of fertilizer that is needed to grow a particular crop. At the same time, the sensors on the sprinklers make it possible to accurately control the flow rate. Precision mobile irrigation systems can save 30% to 50% water compared to traditional irrigation methods.
Crop cultivation and protection
Farmers can use drones equipped with cameras and special sensors to collect information. The obtained data make it possible to optimize the process of growing crops and increase the effectiveness of their protection against weeds. For example, the use of artificial intelligence makes it possible to identify unwanted vegetation with an accuracy of 96%. This helps to significantly reduce the consumption of chemicals due to spot spraying. Deloitte estimates that agricultural drone shipments totaled about 7-8 million worldwide in 2023.
Harvesting
Amid a labor shortage, farms are increasingly using robotic systems to harvest fruit and vegetables. Advances in AI, computer vision and machine learning can improve the efficiency of such machines. Deloitte predicts that global revenue from sales of cleaning robots will grow from about $700 million in 2022 to $1 billion in 2025.
Livestock Management
For animal grazing, farmers are introducing virtual fences instead of traditional physical fences. With the help of special collars equipped with GPS receivers, accelerometers, speakers and electrical stimulators, you can restrain the herd from being within the desired limits. The system makes it possible to dynamically change the boundaries of the pasture depending on the current conditions. In addition, sensors integrated into the collar allow you to receive information about animal health, which helps to increase productivity and identify negative trends in advance.[3]
The world's first smart chicken coop with smartphone control went on sale
October 10, 2023 American startup Coop announced the release of the world's first smart chicken coop with the ability to control using mobile devices - smartphones and tablets. The solution, dubbed Smart Chicken Coop, is said to be suitable for any household. More. here
Named the main global agrotech trends until 2030
In October 2023, analysts at the Center for Financial Technology Development (CRFT) Rosselkhozbank published a study listing global trends in agrotechnological development until 2030. Experts attributed to them technologies (big data Big Data), sustainable and regenerative agriculture, as well as the further feminization of professional personnel in. agriculture
As noted in the report, Big Data tools, cloud computing, 5G networks, artificial intelligence, machine learning and other digital solutions help increase the profitability and efficiency of both large agricultural holdings and medium and small farms. Their role in the development of agricultural industry is inevitably increasing, since many startups are developing innovative solutions for implementation in the personal subsidiary farm and the segment of small and medium-sized businesses.
According to analysts, improved 5G characteristics (speed, connection quality and stability parameters) allow high-level collection and analysis of relevant data in "real time." Especially relevant, 5G is capable of providing Internet coverage in rural areas where other technologies are unable to reach.
| | The high-tech segment never stands still, various decisions, trends and phenomena constantly appear, both reflecting and creating new requirements for the technologies of our unique time, "comments Elena Baturova, director of the Center for Financial Technology Development at Rosselkhozbank. - Agriculture is no exception to the rule. Any changes and moves forward are based on patterns that explain and express current sentiments in the agricultural innovation sector. For example, as the population grows, there is a need to produce more food, as well as to develop alternative methods for growing crops. The solution will be a technological "boom" and an increase in the efficiency of agriculture against the background of minimizing costs and costs (temporary, energy, financial, labor). | |
One of the trends of the global agricultural industry, the researchers named regenerative agriculture, which, according to them, not only minimizes the damage caused to nature, but also, on the contrary, improves soil health, reducing erosion. When analyzing the efficiency of agricultural technologies, not only reduced costs, the degree of optimization of household activity, an increase in yield, but also the level and nature of damage caused to the environment are taken into account.
Another trend is associated with the increasing role of the state in the development and promotion of agricultural technologies. As stated in the report, at the government level in different countries there is a realization that agricultural technologies are the most important tool in the fight against global threats to humanity - food shortages, climate change, reduction of fertile land, uncontrolled growth of the world population. Solving such problems is impossible without involving the resources of the state, as well as supranational structures (such as the UN and other universal international organizations).
In addition, the CRFT pointed out the existence of such a trend in agrotech as cooperation. The implementation of the project, the sale of products, the formation of development trajectories, the implementation of the idea - all this requires the integrated use of various resources, access to which is often possible only through cooperation with various players in the agricultural, agricultural and other segments of the industry, analysts explain.
AGROTECHNOLOGICAL TRENDS 2023-2030
Named 8 main trends in agrotech
In August 2023, the team of the Intersectoral Center for Technology Transfer and the Research Center in the Field of IIUnnivalence Innopolis prepared an open patent and marketing report "Application of artificial intelligence in priority sectors of the economy." In particular, experts highlighted several trends in the field of agricultural technologies. Most of them are related to the use of AI solutions.
Smart sensors
Thanks to sensory technologies, farmers can accurately map their fields, track the means for processing crops and apply them where necessary. Sensors collect and monitor various data, help maximize yields, and allow you to adapt to changing environmental factors.
Yield prediction
AI algorithms can predict future yields for farmers by looking at previous data and the current environment. Farmers who plan their production with this knowledge can be sure they have the resources they need at the right time.
Monitoring in animal husbandry
Here we are talking about tracking livestock indicators (biological and behavioral) and early detection of diseases.
Labour shortage
The shortage of personnel leads to the automation of operations by using artificial intelligence in the agrotech industry.
The rise of precision farming
This involves using sensors and data analysis to better understand and manage crops, soil, water and other resources. Precision farming is largely PP, which can provide farmers with real-time access to crop and field data.
Growing adoption of agricultural drones
Such drones can detect places where watering needs to be changed, check the causes of gaps in landing areas. Sensors can use the thermal signature of crops to create a growing index - a measure of health based on artificial intelligence. Sprayers and other specialized UAV technologies can measure distance with great accuracy, thereby significantly reducing the volume of sprayed substances and chemicals entering groundwater. This reduces the environmental impact.
Warehouse Management
Such systems control the efficiency of buildings, losses during harvest, reserves of sowing material, fertilizers, and also plans to load premises.
Synthetic biology
Synthetic biology uses the object's genetic material as a structure that can be programmed. Thanks to artificial intelligence and machine learning, scientists and companies will be able to create genetic code or molecules, if we are talking about inorganic material, under certain client requirements, that is, "to order."
The study also provides examples of various projects using artificial intelligence in agriculture. For example, FarmWise creates adaptive robots for growing plants. They use plant data to precisely manage field action to optimize farm operations and improve food production efficiency. Weedbot is developing high-precision laser weeding technology. Such a robot helps farmers identify and remove weeds using a laser beam, which will avoid the use of pesticides in food production. CropIn is also mentioned, which offers software for farm management. It assists in planning and monitoring agricultural activities to fully track processes.
The use of artificial intelligence in priority sectors of the economy
Technology for delivering agrochemicals directly to plants with microneedles has been developed
In mid-March 2023, researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) together with Singaporean colleagues from Temasek the Life Sciences Laboratory (TLL) reported on the development of advanced technology for delivering agrochemicals directly to plants through microneedles. More. here
2022: Free information system for farmers is being developed in Kazakhstan
Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Alikhan Smailov spoke about the development of an information system for farmers. This became known on April 7, 2022. Read more here.
2021: "John Deere Synchronization System" became available on forage harvesters and tractors
On March 4, 2021, John Deere announced that the John Deere synchronization system is now available on harvesters and tractors - thanks to this development, machines can exchange data on the go. This allows operators to direct a tractor with a trailer parallel to the progress of the combine and makes it easier to harvest crops. Read more here.
2019: Global Agrotech Market Reaches $17.44 Billion - ResearchAndMarkets
The volume of the global information technology market in the agro-industrial complex at the end of 2019 reached $17.44 billion, and approximately 39% of sales fell on North America. This is evidenced by data from a study released by analysts ResearchAndMarkets.
AgroTech's second largest market is Asia Pacific, with Europe the third. The share of the first in 2019 was almost 30%. According to experts, Asia's non-food industry, estimated at $5 trillion, is undergoing a technological revolution, thanks to which agrotech business in the region will expand greatly.
Population growth in countries such as China, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines and Vietnam, as well as increased demand for higher-yielding projects, are the main factors contributing to the development of the agricultural sector in the Asia-Pacific region. The aforementioned countries are investing heavily in the agrotech sector. So, in India in 2019, the largest number of mergers and acquisitions in this market was concluded, if you do not take the United States into consideration. The volume of such transactions reached $249 million, an increase of 87% compared to 2018.
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The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic has become a major problem for all farmers in North America, threatening access to agricultural labor and complicating global supply chains. In 2020, due to the difficult epidemiological situation, enterprises in the United States, Canada and Mexico were suspended, which negatively affected the sales of agricultural products such as sensors, robots, etc. COVID-19 worsened logistics, transport accessibility and trading activities, which has become a big problem for the market, given that a large number of production and technology companies operating in this market are based in North America.
According to analysts, one of the most promising areas for venture investments will be the agro-industrial sector. Startups that innovate in agriculture are not yet enough, demand for technology in the sector is growing, and investments in agrotech can bring investors multiple returns.
Agriculture ranks last in terms of innovation, according to McKinsey. This is understandable: the traditional industry until recently did without large-scale technology implementations. It is much easier to achieve growth by increasing the area of crops and livestock. However, in the last 5-6 years, the situation has changed a lot. The growth of population and well-being has led to an increase in the consumption of protein food, which, in turn, requires an expansion of crops (7 kg of feed grain is needed to produce 1 kg of meat). But in most countries of the world there are almost no free agricultural land left. Moreover, according to forecasts of the UN Food and Agriculture Commission, the amount of arable land per capita will decrease in the world from 0.6 hectares per person in 2000 to 0.2 hectares by 2050, and the demand for food will grow by 70%.
This is well understood by the largest global players in the industry - from producers of agrochemicals, seeds and fertilizers to food producers, as well as global venture funds. They see that the potential for extensive development in the agricultural sector has been exhausted, so new technologies are relevant that increase the intensity and efficiency of the business.
According to ResearchAndMarkets forecasts, the global technology market for the agro-industrial complex will grow by about 12.1% per year and reach $41.17 billion by 2027.[4]
2018
Agriculture 4.0. How digital agriculture will address food shortages
More than 9 billion people are expected to live on the planet by 2050. Therefore, the next step in ensuring sufficient food for the rapidly growing population of the planet will be the introduction of self-propelled tractors, precision farming and Internet of Things sensors to quantify the results of agricultural activities. This is stated in the publication of TechRepublic on December 12, 2018.
The introduction of new technological solutions, ranging from automated agricultural equipment and drones that monitor crops, to a wide range of IoT sensors that, for example, measure soil moisture, has changed this industry. Some experts even refer to the movement as "Agriculture 4.0," a term that was first used at the World Government Summit.
The new era of agriculture is based on the concept of management in the field of agro-industrial complex, using technologies to observe crops, measure various indicators and respond to changes. Within the framework of this concept, farmers can consider their arable land as sub-zones and optimize equipment and consumables such as fertilizers, herbicides and water. With the further development of the idea, there is a transition to the level of plants, which will allow each plant to be processed individually.
At the end of 2018, one of the key engines of the digital agricultural revolution is:
- Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, USA. It houses the Research and Educational Agronology Center (ACRE), which is developing new ways of farming aimed at increasing yields and efficiency. 1.4 petabytes of data are collected here every day.
- Land O'Lakes, which sends specialists from its WinField United subsidiary directly to farms to showcase the best ways to farm.
- Indoor farms, such as Plenty in San Francisco and Jones Food in Europe, which grow plants on vertical racks in large spaces.
| | Our main task is to feed the world. To do this, in order to feed approximately 9 billion people by 2050, we must significantly increase food production performance, "says Patrick Smoker, Head of Department and Senior Information Technology Manager at Purdue University. | |
Purdue is looking for solutions that make farmers more efficient. At a 1,408-acre (570-hectare) university research farm, IoT sensors evaluate the molecular response of plants and how it affects growth and color. To collect data, it was necessary to provide stable Wi-Fi coverage throughout the field area. Wireless communication was also needed to use unmanned vehicles such as ACRE's PhenoRover. Therefore, the university turned to Aruba Networks, owned by Hewlett Packard Enterprise, to assess potential problems and find solutions of this scale.
Purdue also has a test farm that serves as an outdoor laboratory and research facility. Here, a team of researchers studies genetics and genomics, as well as crop production and ecology. According to Jim Beaty, head of the agricultural center at the university, the introduction of new technologies in the past few years has significantly accelerated the production of agricultural products.
Land O'Lakes teaches its farmers to use WinField's unified Answer Plot system, which stores yield information. The R7 tool, which is part of the system, collects data from 200 fields across the US to show which hybrid crops are better at taking root in a particular area.
WinField developed its 2018 solution. The farmer simply enters into the system information about the type of soil, the amount of fertilizers used, the timing of planting. The software simulates the result and shows when the crop will be at a certain stage of growth and what the expected yield is. This helps to reduce costs by $15-20/acre, which is significant when working with large areas.
Another example is one of the largest American engineering companies John Deere, which in 2017 bought the startup Blue River Technology, which was engaged in the development of artificial intelligence. Thanks to this, John Deere managed to gain a foothold in Silicon Valley and begin to introduce machine learning and robots in the field of agriculture. The goal that the company's owners set themselves is to use automatic driving technology, computer vision, integrated information transfer and processing tools and cloud-based mobile applications to help farmers double or triple yields. This outcome will be key to meeting the world's food needs as the Earth's population grows over the next 30 years.
But in order for farmers to want to buy technology, it is necessary to justify it, and increasing yields and reducing costs are key ways to attract attention.
| | We have to show value. While any farmer may be skeptical of the change, as they already have known practices that produce a known result, the benefits offered will help reduce costs, increase productivity, reduce labor or increase the cost of the product, Patrick Smoker said.[5] | |
AI robots have learned to recognize and destroy weeds
In Europe and the United States, they began to use new agricultural robots that, using AI technologies, are able to recognize weeds and selectively destroy them. The introduction of such robotic systems will dramatically reduce the use of herbicides and reduce the need for genetically modified cultures resistant to chemicals, Reuters reported on May 22, 2018.
In Switzerland, a propeller robot developed by Ecorobotix is being tested in sugar beet fields. The solar-powered system looks like a table on wheels. Moving around the field, the robot uses a camera to scan shoots, identify weed grass among them and spray it with a small dose of herbicides.
The Swiss developer assures that thanks to a selective approach, his robot propeller is able to reduce the use of herbicides in farms by 20 times. The company says that in the near future they will conclude an agreement with investors on the allocation of funding. The Ecorobotix robotic system is planned to enter the mass market in 2019.
Meanwhile, in the US, US startup Blue River, acquired by agricultural machinery maker Deere & Company in 2017, is testing its weed control plant called See & Spray. The principle of operation is the same as that of the Swiss system - weed recognition and their point treatment with a herbicide, but the American installation moves not independently, but using a tractor. Blue River estimates that its technology can reduce the use of herbicides by 90%.
The See & Spray system has already been tested in cotton fields and the company plans to test on other crops such as soybeans. The installation is expected to be available on the market in 4-5 years.
Other companies are working on similar selective herbicide treatment systems, such as Germany's Robert Bosch and Denmark's Agrointelli. In an interview with the agency, Richard Lightbound, a representative of the Robo Global robotic exchange fund, said that point treatment with herbicides using robots will not only be in great demand among farmers, but at some stage it may become mandatory.[6]
Notes
- ↑ Investment in agtech startups plummeted in 2024
- ↑ AgFunder Global AgriFoodTech Investment Report 2024
- ↑ On solid ground: AgTech is driving sustainable farming and is expected to harvest US$18 billion in 2024 revenues
- ↑ $41.17 Billion Agritech Market Forecast to 2027 - Proliferating Use of Precision Farming Gaining Momentum - ResearchAndMarkets.com
- ↑ Agriculture 4.0: How digital farming is revolutionizing the future of food
- ↑ Robots fight weeds in challenge to agrochemical giants
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