UK – Diageo, a British multinational alcoholic beverage company, has announced a partnership with three tech innovators—AquaSpy, Clean Crop Technologies, and SmartCloud Farming—as part of its Diageo Sustainable Solutions (DSS) programme.
The collaboration is aimed at strengthening the resilience of the agricultural sector in Sub-Saharan Africa, where farmers are increasingly challenged by unpredictable weather patterns and water scarcity.
According to Diageo, the region’s smallholder farmers face mounting difficulties due to frequent droughts, floods, and limited agricultural monitoring capabilities.
Access to real-time data on soil and crop conditions is becoming crucial for farmers to make informed decisions and better adapt to the impacts of climate change.
Through its DSS initiative, Diageo launched a competition to identify technological solutions that could help address these issues.
The programme, which was established four years ago, is designed to invest in cutting-edge technologies and partnerships that offer sustainable solutions to global agricultural challenges.
Diageo has committed £450,000 (US$497,227.50) towards the development of the three selected innovations.
AquaSpy, one of the chosen innovators, offers a cloud-based IoT agriculture platform that enables farmers to monitor soil conditions and crop root systems throughout the growing season.
This data allows for more strategic decision-making regarding planting and resource allocation.
Clean Crop Technologies has developed a proprietary treatment that enhances seed germination and boosts resistance to extreme weather conditions such as droughts or floods. This innovation helps farmers to better cope with the abiotic stresses caused by climate change.
SmartCloud Farming brings precision to agriculture through its soil monitoring and scanning technology. The company generates detailed soil maps that allow farmers to forecast crop yields with greater accuracy and make data-driven decisions to enhance productivity.
John Cant, Head of Diageo Sustainable Solutions, emphasized the importance of this initiative in addressing the climate challenges faced by smallholder farmers.
“One of the key challenges for smallholder farmers in Africa is their exposure to climate change and water scarcity. We are working with partners to find new solutions that can help to ensure they get the very best from their farms,” said Cant.
He added that the innovations have the potential to increase crop yields and reduce uncertainty for farmers, ultimately improving their earnings.
The technology will also benefit Diageo by providing a more reliable supply of raw materials for its products.
The Pilot programmes will be launched in East Africa, specifically in Kenya and Uganda, with plans to scale these technologies across Diageo’s supply chain if the trials prove successful.
Earlier this year, Diageo had invited applications through DSS for innovations aimed at improving water management in its global supply chain, reflecting the company’s broader commitment to sustainability.
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