The regional partnerships will help uplift the core of the Climate Innovation Challenge, thereby impacting partnerships, applicability and scalability. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Cropin, a global agri-ecosystem intelligence provider, has recently won the Climate Innovation Challenge (CIC) grant, a sub-component of the Program for Asia Resilience to Climate Change, a trust fund administered by the World Bank and funded by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)

A ClearSky image showing crop growth and areas that need attention, via Origin Digital’s Contour platform. (Image source: Origin Digital)

Origin Digital, an agriculture technology company and Aspia Space, an advanced satellite imagery provider have announced ‘ClearSky’, a world-first service with an aim to revolutionise the way satellite imagery is used in precision agriculture by farmers around the world

Member of the Management Board Nicola Lemken (left) and LEMKEN’s Managing Director Anthony van der Ley. (Image source: LEMKEN)

LEMKEN, a specialist for arable farming, will invest US$20.41mn in a new machinery plant to be built in Dinteloord (North Brabant)

This new plant will also be connected to the Nieuw Prinsenland Agro Food Cluster as an additional benefit. The factory is scheduled to open its doors at the end of 2023 and will employ at least 30 additional members of staff.

In 2018, the agricultural technology company added hoeing technology, a promising field for the future, to its product range for professional arable farming. Since then, Steketee, the Dutch machine factory that LEMKEN acquired for this purpose, has grown rapidly, benefiting from the global shift towards mechanical, camera-controlled weed control. 

LEMKEN’s managing director Anthony van der Ley said, “The world around us is changing fast. That’s why everybody involved in the production chain needs to work together to ensure sustainability in food production. Primary agriculture in particular plays a pioneering role here. New technologies open up a wide range of possibilities. For example, by switching to smart mechanical weed control, we can apply crop care products more precisely and gradually reduce their use. That’s why we have been going full steam ahead with the development, production and sales of Steketee machines since 2018.” Van der Ley added that the company’s ambitions go beyond a simple expansion and modernisation: “We want to invest significantly more in product development to build on Steketee’s position as an innovator, for example with the use of artificial intelligence.”

“We are very pleased that we have found a location nearby, so that all our employees can transfer to their new workplace without difficulty. The attractive environment is also important for further recruiting requirements. In addition, we will combine the creative design of the new building with the opportunity to establish ourselves as an experienced and innovative partner for other companies, for universities and colleges, and to offer a springboard for students or start-ups,” said  Nicola Lemken, LEMKENs member of the management board.

Iljan Schouten, managing director of Steketee, is excited about the companys future prospects, “Just three years after our takeover of Steketee, we are now taking a big step forward. Im very proud that LEMKEN trusts the Steketee brand and our team of young talents and experienced employees. We place great value on new technologies in both our factory and our end products. We want to create not only a state-of-the-art production facility, but also a development centre and an AgroForum as a source of inspiration and knowledge for our national and international customers.”

The partnership aims to address sustainable agriculture, climate change, land management, and risk mitigation for drought and floods for small farmers in remote communities. (Image source: Farmer Charlie)

Kacific, a satellite operator providing high-speed broadband internet service for the South East Asia and Pacific Islands regions and Farmer Charlie, an enabler of connectivity, data and agribusiness to remote smallholder farmers globally, have partnered to grow agricultural output and support sustainable development across South East Asia and the Pacific