Innovative solutions are urgently required to sustain and enhance global food production. At iyris, we are committed to developing tools empowering farmers to grow more sustainably - and at less cost.
Building the Farm of Tomorrow: How Emerging Technologies Are Shaping the Future of Agriculture
John K. Keppler, Executive Chairman | iyris
We are navigating an era of continued climate challenges. With 2024 being the hottest year on record, and this year set to surpass it, the agriculture sector is facing continued stress.
Innovative solutions are urgently required to sustain and enhance global food production. At iyris, we are committed to developing tools empowering farmers to grow more sustainably - and at less cost. By delivering readily available, easy-to-use tools - we will support the farming community to build the farms of tomorrow - today. By leveraging emerging technologies, growers can combat the effects of climate change and address critical issues such as food security and sustainability.
Extreme weather events, prolonged droughts, and rising temperatures have rendered traditional open field farming increasingly precarious. The GCC region, for example, still imports c. 85% of its food - leaving it highly vulnerable to global supply chain disruptions and food insecurity. To address such dependency, we must work closely with farmers and provide innovative agricultural solutions to prioritize local, sustainable food production. Farmers need protection from the damaging impact of the heat - both below and above ground.
Above ground, the industry is increasingly embracing controlled environment agriculture (CEA) as a viable alternative. CEA enables better control over growing conditions, mitigating the adverse effects of climate change, and ensuring consistent crop yields. Yet, of the 2.5 million hectares (ha) of CEA worldwide - only 100,000 ha are ‘high-tech’ facilities, and less than 1,000 ha are vertical farms.
This is why - at iyris - we focus on low-to-mid tech farmers. For many of these growers, high-tech solutions are not a financially viable option.
The ‘farm of tomorrow’ should focus on the majority of farms. 70% of farmers globally are low-to-mid tech farmers and produce over 95% of the world’s fruit and vegetable supply. Our flagship product, SecondSky, a near infrared heat radiation-blocking greenhouse cover, was developed as a one-for-one replacement of any agricultural cover - net, polyethylene or polycarbonate. Given farmers’ need to replace greenhouse covers periodically SecondSky – with its climate mitigation properties and easy availability from the famer’s normal supply chain - yields benefits from the moment of installation.
This technology not only extends the growing season but enhances yield, crop resilience and reduces the resources required - thus ensuring reliable food production amid climate uncertainty.
Opened in early 2024, we participated in a pioneering project to create a ‘model farm’ in Saudi Arabia, aimed at establishing a sustainable supply chain of locally grown produce for new resorts built by Red Sea Global. By creating a 0.75-hectare controlled environment greenhouse, which incorporated SecondSky greenhouse covers, we demonstrated it is possible to achieve year-round production in one of the world's most challenging climates.
This type of facility: a low-to-mid tech facility where technologies such as soil regeneration, controlled irrigation and SecondSky are deployed is a living example of the model farm. Expanding this model regionally - empowering farmers who struggle to grow beyond a few months a year to, instead, produce year-round - would significantly impact regional food security, without financially burdening smaller farmers with the costs of an expensive facility.
Below the ground, we focus on developing non-GMO resilient root stocks. Offering farmers heat, drought and salt resistant seeds and root stocks reduces farmers’ crop failure risk - ensuring they will still be operating in the future.
Deployment of new agricultural technologies also offers major economic and environmental benefits. Modern growers tell us they need solutions mitigating climate change, addressing heat stress, and delivering financial and ecologically sustainable outcomes - i.e., increased yields, improved crop quality and lower resource usage.
It is important farms can experience these tangible results. If we can help farmers move from subsistence farming to prosperity, then when emerging technologies are validated – farmers will have the financial security to invest in them and continue their journey to more sustainable production.
The challenges facing the farming sector are immediate. Our development focus is investigating how our expertise in optical tuning and plant science can be deployed more extensively and with more impact. However, the impact of emerging technologies on the future of farming - such as blockchain for supply chain transparency and renewable energy integration - must also be considered.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have the potential to provide farmers with data-driven insights but are yet to achieve commercial-scale validation. Vertical farming solutions also offer the promise of more efficient land use.
The challenges of climate change and food insecurity require a multifaceted approach. At iyris, we are committed to pioneering innovative technologies that build the farm of tomorrow. By leveraging controlled environment agriculture, precision farming, hydroponics, and cutting-edge biotechnology, we aim to create a sustainable and resilient agricultural ecosystem.
Together, we can ensure a food-secure future for generations to come.
John K. Keppler is the Executive Chairman of iyris, a leading agriculture technology company dedicated to advancing sustainable farming practices through innovative solutions.
The content & opinions in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily represent the views of AgriTechTomorrow
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