The success of the agricultural process depends on pollination. Improving this complex process affects the yield directly. Latin America-based startup The Earth Says optimizes it to achieve the maximum possible performance in your field.

Agrigate Global’s Saura Panigrahi spoke with Esteban Vásquez, Co-Founder and CEO of The Earth Says, about his startup and the experience at  The Sustainable Agtech Challenge brought to you by The Yield Lab Institute and UNEP.

Congratulations on making it to the Final-8 of The Sustainable Agtech Challenge by the Yield Lab Institute. How has the experience gone?

It has been a very good experience, we have had several meetings to put the performance laboratory staff in context about what our priorities and needs are to develop the areas that facilitate scalability.

How would you like to introduce your startup/innovation? Tell us more about the core area of operations and your team.

The Earth Says is a company that increases the profitability of crops through the use of technology to monitor phenological states and the activity of pollinators during the key stages of cultivation, delivering alerts and recommendations, improving response times, and generating a record of each cultivation process.

We are currently five in the team with experts in biotechnology, information technology, administration, and business. Alonso is in charge of the technological and scientific development, Diego is the administrator of the financing, Mario organizes the logistics behind the processes, Francisco gives support in the area of software and networks and I (Esteban) am in charge of the strategy that will make us achieve the world.

The Agriculture Sector is very dynamic. What are the major challenges you are facing?

One of the challenges that we constantly see is the adoption of technology in the agricultural sector, on the other hand, we also believe that the validation of technologies in the agro-industry to increase profitability and production are critical for the challenges of the future.

In recent times, agri-tech has become one of the favorites for investors. What would be your pitch to a prospective investor?

Since I was a child, I have been listening to the terrible effects of climate change, and now it is real, agriculture is very affecting because the changes in the weather disturb the cycle of crops and sources available to Pollinators, negatively impacting proliferation. This reduces the yields and quality of fruit, vegetable, and seeds becoming more difficult every year to obtain the desired performance. For this reason, we created the earth says to improve profitability through a complete analysis service of plant stages to reduce the risk of bad and delaying management in the field. We think everybody is part of the problem what are you waiting to be part of the solution.

Agritech is booming with innovative ideas. What would be your advice to young entrepreneurs who would like to venture into this segment?

Identify a problem that you can check and find quick and inexpensive ways to validate that problem with as many people as possible. Ask, search and discuss your problems to find faster solutions.

Finally, tell us more about your plans.

We want to expand to regional markets such as Peru, Argentina during the next semester and the second semester to begin prospecting in the United States market seeking to take a big step towards scalability.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are his own and do not reflect the views of Agrigate Global.

The agriculture sector is going through a phase of rapid transformations. To ensure food security to the increasing world population, it’s imperative to bring innovation to this sector. Costa Rica-based ClearLeaf is one such startup that uses, organic certified technology to provide a line of non-toxic fungicides and bactericides to enhance agricultural yield.

Agustin Buchert, Chief Scientific Officer ClearLeaf spoke with Agrigate Global’s Saura Panigrahi about his unique patent-pending product and future plans.  ClearLeaf is also one of the finalists of The Sustainable Agtech Challenge brought to you by The Yield Lab Institute and UNEP.

Congratulations on making it to the Final-8 of The Sustainable Agtech Challenge by the Yield Lab Institute. How has the experience gone?

It has been amazing! Starting with the initial awesome UNEP Sustainable AgTech Challenge event and now the introductions to other companies to support all of our efforts. The Yield Lab Institute team has been great throughout.

How would you like to introduce your startup/innovation? Tell us more about the core area of operations and your team.

ClearLeaf uses patent-pending, organic certified technology to provide a line of non-toxic fungicides and bactericides for agricultural use. ClearLeaf currently has pre and postharvest solutions for coffee, banana, pineapple, multiple vegetables, tubers, sugar cane, melons, papaya, coconut, strawberries, flowers, and many more. GotaBlanca® is one of the only non-toxic fungi-bactericides currently on the market, anywhere in the world. It is broad-spectrum, does not cause microbial resistance, enhances plant growth (rather than impeding it like most current products), does not affect on-farm (or off-farm) biological diversity, and can be applied at any time in the growing cycle (off-season, budding, growth, fruiting, and up to the moment of harvest). GotaBlanca® can also be used for the protection of post-harvest produce, to reduce damage and deterioration between the farm and the end consumer. ClearLeaf was founded in 2017 and has since assembled a strong, multi-disciplinary team of experienced professionals to optimize success. The executive team is composed of experts in the areas of sustainability, regulatory affairs, biotechnology, nanotechnology, finance, and business development.

The Agriculture Sector is very dynamic. What are the major challenges you are facing?

ClearLeaf is changing the way we do agriculture worldwide. It is estimated that a third of existing toxic pesticides will be banned worldwide due to health concerns. After years of multidisciplinary research and development, drawing on cutting-edge biotech, surface chemistry, and medical, agricultural, and polymer sciences, ClearLeaf has developed a range of innovative solutions that meet the critical market need to eliminate toxic systemic products that contaminate the environment and harm workers, while still meeting the performance characteristics required by small, medium, and large-scale agricultural producers, as well as their increasingly demanding clients. ClearLeaf´s major challenges are related to product registrations. Agricultural chemical markets are developed by securing product registrations, validating product effectiveness to the satisfaction of key local market leaders, and generating demand from end clients and distribution partners. Major multinationals with deep pockets enter markets in that order, with registrations taken as a fixed cost. ClearLeaf’s strategy is to invert the first two points – engage the key clients first and then work with them to secure registrations and distribution partners, where possible using their knowledge and leverage in securing registrations. We are executing this strategy across several country markets. GotaBlanca® is currently registered for sale only in Costa Rica and is available for use in a variety of crops. As we have proven efficacy in coffee, banana, and other specialty crops, last year (Q4 2020) we initiated our direct sales program to better understand the “on the ground” market. In May 2021 ClearLeaf secured a distribution contract with the biggest agrochemical distributor in Costa Rica and the Central American Region. It was because of the on-the-ground work that we were able to secure a very favorable distribution term. Initial results from the largest actor in this local market lead us to believe that 2021-2022 will be the breakout year for the company in terms of commercial sales in our first market. We believe we will be able to secure the registrations of our products in Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Panama before Q2 2022.

In recent times, agri-tech has become one of the favorites for investors. What would be your pitch to a prospective investor?

We have a very unique value proposition. ClearLeaf sells GotaBlanca, a line of agricultural fungicides and bactericides to farmers. The tools currently used by farmers to control fungi and bacteria are very toxic and are being banned worldwide due to health concerns, while also losing efficiency over time. ClearLeaf offers an alternative for the control of fungi and bacteria through the use of their GotaBlanca family of products. Unlike their competition, their products are 100% non-toxic and always efficient.

Agritech is booming with innovative ideas. What would be your advice to young entrepreneurs who would like to venture into this segment?

To keep fighting. This is a great area for innovation. Access to capital in this arena has never been more widely available. People and investors, in general, are starting to realize how important is food security and that we need to watch out for food needs for an always growing global population. I would advise also young entrepreneurs to focus their innovations and ventures to be sustainable solutions. Sustainability is leading the way nowadays, therefore there is a great opportunity to bring value and new ideas into the markets with sustainability embedded in their products and services.

Finally, tell us more about your plans.

ClearLeaf has passed the R&D phase of its core product. Currently, we focus on expanding the forms of use, new methods of application, and extension to more crops. Custom modifications are sometimes made to the formulation to serve specific markets, for example by modifying our adhesion strategy (in particular to adjust to the intensity and amount of rainfall) and the amount of active ingredient (for particularly resistant pathogens). We have developed a product line with the versatility to adapt to customer needs and provide a customized solution, without the need to return to an R&D phase.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are his own and do not reflect the views of Agrigate Global.

Hive honey bee, Giant honey bee, Little honey bee, and Dammar bee are types of honey bees. European honey bees can produce more than Asian honey bees. Drone, worker, and queen are colony members. Due to royal jelly is given to the queen, the queen grows well due to royal jelly, and it increases fertility. Queen produces eggs by parthenogenesis and fertile eggs. Workers build combs and feed queens and drones. Decision-making of a colony is done by the queen and drones.

Required types of equipment

Apiary, bee veil, smoker, and honey extractor are the major required types of equipment. Bee veil helps to cover the face. After the honey is matured, bees seal it. Honey extractor helps to extract honey.

How to start beekeeping

Buying a bee colony, dividing an existing colony, capturing a natural colony with combs, and capturing a swarm can be done to capture a colony. Capturing a natural colony with combs is difficult. Opening the colony to outside, smoking, removing combs one by one, binding combs to frames, and capturing bees are done at capturing a natural colony. Bees start to drink honey when they expose to smoke. Then handling bees is easy.

Three major phases of a colony during a year

The growth phase, honey-flow phase, and dearth phase are 3 major phases. Bees are fed with sugar syrup at the growth phase. When space is kept between two hives, bees try to fill it. Bees like to store honey in old honeycombs. Honey can be extracted in the honey-flow period (usually 4-6 weeks). Swarming should be managed, and the capacity of the colony should be increased in this phase. One honeycomb should be kept, and the required feed for bees should be supplied externally at the dearth period. The strength of the colony is less in the dearth period. Empty honeycombs should be protected. Empty honeycombs are socked in saltwater, and sundried. Wax moth should be prevented. Otherwise, they tend to eat empty honeycombs.

Introducing queen cells, uniting two colonies by mixing larvae, transportation of colonies at night are special management practices at beekeeping. A honeycomb has several queen cells. One queen cell is selected, and the other queen cells are destroyed. If bees of two colonies are mixed, they fight each other. Therefore larvae are mixed at uniting two colonies. Due to bees always go outside, and try to escape in the daytime, colonies are transported at night. Otherwise, they will be fed up and die. Pests and diseases of bees should be avoided. Wasps, Ants, spiders, varroa bee mite, wax moth, and gecko are some pests. If the honeycomb is attacked by wood ants, bees give up their small ones and escape. If the colony is strong, it can expel some pests. When the population of bees is high, the wasp is surrounded by bees, and it was destroyed by increasing temperature.

To get a good quantity of honey

Putting old combs with larvae into the apiary, control swarming, extracting honey at the correct time can be done to get a good quantity of honey. The moisture level should be lower than 22% at extracting honey. Then fermentation of honey happens.

Some honey forages

These forages are nectar and pollen sources. Rubber, Eucalyptus robusta, coconut, sesame, Albizzia, Calliandra are some of the honey forages. Rubber has nectar glands. The flower of Eucalyptus robusta stores a large amount of nectar. Blooming happens from August to September. Coconut is a good pollen source.

Tom Vilsack, the secretary of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that an investment of more than $ 146 million in Sustainable Agricultural Research project is done under the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Sustainable Agricultural Systems programs to improve a robust, resilient, climate-smart food and agricultural system. This program focuses to get solutions from addressing labor challenges, and promoting land stewardship to correct impacts of climate change in Agriculture. Investments help to mitigate food insecurity, drought resilience, preventing animal diseases, and market disruption.

Mr. Vilsack further mentioned that climate-smart solutions feed, and nourish families with investments in science and research. And also he mentioned that forest health, profitability, and resilience of producers are also improved while creating new income opportunities. Plant and animal production, and sustainability, human and environmental health are improved by this program.

The grants of the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) are available to eligible colleges, universities, and research institutes. Dr. Carrie Castille, NIFA director mentioned that these research projects help to improve agricultural practices which are beneficial for consumers, farmers (all Americans), and the environment by tackling major issues.

USDA does these investments to remove systemic barriers, and to build a workforce more representative of America.

Alhaji Mohammad Abubakar who is the minister of Agriculture and Rural Development encourages people for Agriculture to improve the economy of the country. He expressed his idea about the improvement of the economy by farming on the second day of his familiarisation tour of some agricultural facilities in Kaduna.

As he mentioned, Agriculture is a good business, and it can be continued without failure due to the government always gives funds to farming people. People have to utilize it and ensure that they return it. And also, he mentioned that there are various challenges in the agriculture sector.

He also explained the importance of distributing equipment in the stores other than allowing them to decay in stores. He further mentioned that he does what is right, and the government does its best to improve the livelihoods of the Nigerian people.

Sustainable agriculture is an integrated system in which a site-specific application (over the long term) is available in plant and animal production practices by enhancing environmental quality and the natural resource base (related to the agricultural economy).

Importance of sustainable agriculture

The environment is protected, and soil fertility is improved by the practices of sustainable agriculture. Natural resource base and profitable farm incomes are also improved. The goal of sustainable agriculture is decreasing the input of external energy, and substituting non-renewable energy sources with renewable sources such as wind power, solar energy.

Advantages of sustainable agriculture

Cost reduction, advocating better treatment of animals, increasing biodiversity, increasing social equality, control of air pollution, and reducing soil erosion are some advantages of sustainable agriculture. Sustainable agriculture does a tremendous service at producing quality, and safe food.

Disadvantages of sustainable agriculture

Limited use of land, more time consuming, requiring much effort, getting a low income, and short shelf life of products are disadvantages. Due to limited use of land, large quantities of food can’t be produced in sustainable agriculture. Production is less due to the use of machines is less. But lots of labor and time is required. Due to decomposing is high in sustainably produced food, their shelf life is short. Due to fertilizers, and other chemicals are not used, land fertility isn’t increased easily.

Methods of Sustainable Agriculture

Crop Rotation, permaculture, growing cover Crops, soil Enrichment, Natural Pest Predators, bio-intensive Integrated Pest Management, agroforestry, and polyculture Farming are some methods of sustainable agriculture.

Agroforestry is the interaction of agriculture and trees such as the agricultural use of trees, and it comprises trees on farms and in agricultural landscapes, farming in forests and along forest margins, and tree-crop production (Example: cocoa, coffee, rubber, and oil palm). Agroforestry systems are land management practices that trees and shrubs are produced on the same land area as agricultural crops or livestock. Agroforestry systems have trees, crops, or livestock on the same land area, and diversity, productivity, profitability, and environmental stewardship are increased. Agroforestry combines agricultural and forestry technologies to create productive, profitable, healthy, and sustainable land-use systems which have diversity.

Components of Agroforestry

Agrisilvicultural systems, silvopastoral systems, protein Bank, a live fence of fodder trees and hedges, trees and shrubs on pasture, agrosilvopastoral systems, home gardens, woody hedgerows are the components of agroforestry.

The benefits of agroforestry systems

Agroforestry systems control runoff and soil erosion. Therefore, losses of water, soil material, organic matter, and nutrients are reduced. Soil organic matter and biological activity are maintained at a satisfactory level for soil fertility. More favorable soil physical properties are maintained by tree roots. Nutrient cycling has also happened, and nutrients are used efficiently. Agroforestry utilizes solar energy more efficiently than monocultural systems. Insects, pests, and diseases are reduced. Agroforestry reclaims degraded lands and eroded lands. Soil water availability is increased with agroforestry. Nitrogen-fixing trees increase the nitrogen availability of agroforestry systems. Economics risks are decreased due to agroforestry systems produce multiple products. Salinity and water tables are also controlled. Providing shelter to livestock in the warmer months is another benefit. Waterlogging is avoided through water removal. Agroforestry systems are also important in mitigating climate changes.

Digital Agriculture is the use of new and advanced technologies to enable farmers and other stakeholders in the agriculture value chain to improve food production by integrating into one system. Actionable intelligence and meaningful value addition are developed from the presence and availability of data at digital farming. Both precision farming and smart farming are integrated into digital farming.

Advantages of digital farming

Increasing farm production, saving costs in the long term, and eliminating risks, real-time decision making, expansion of the field of predictive agriculture are advantages of digital agriculture. Apps are developed with specific functions.

The way that digital agriculture works

Installation of network-connected ‘smart’ devices as part of the Internet of Things can be done or those can be software as a service (SaaS) based agtech. Data is transferred by hardware over a network. Then they become ‘smart devices’ and part of the Internet of Things. Digital technology is used to integrate agricultural production from the paddock to the consumer. These technologies provide tools and information to make more informed decisions and improve productivity in the agriculture industry.

Three elements of digital agriculture

The Technology – Sensors, communication networks, Unmanned Aviation Systems (UAS), Artificial Intelligence (AI), robotics, and recently the Internet of Things (IoT) are included in the technology.
The Potential – Digital agriculture improves the efficiency and the potential to increase the productivity of agriculture. Time and resources are used in an efficient way.
The Barriers – Adoption of new technology, and the high costs are barriers. Adoption of new technology requires collaboration with other stakeholders through the value chain.

Terrace farming is cutting flat areas from the hilly or mountainous landscapes for cultivating crops. This method is used in the rice fields of Asia. And also, terracing is applied to the steep slopes of the Andes in South America. Terracing is used to support cultivating crops that require irrigation, such as rice. Rice requires a lot of water and a flat area. When there is a flat area, the paddy field can be flooded easily. Tea farmers also use terrace farming for tea cultivation.

Advantages of terrace farming

Advantages of terrace farming are the conservation of soil and water, reducing soil erosion, and elimination of grass waterways that can be difficult to maintain and reductions in flooding. Terraces reduce both the amount and velocity of water moving across the soil surface, which greatly reduces soil erosion. Terracing thus permits more intensive cropping than would otherwise be possible.

Disadvantages of terrace farming

The capital cost of building terraces is high, and the time required to maintain terraces is also high. Those are the disadvantages of terrace farming.

The effects of terrace farming

Soil water enhancement is happened in the water-restricted regions due to terracing. Terracing can increase soil moisture by 0.87% to 37.71%, and it is beneficial to ecosystem restoration. The most powerful in soil water recharge is broad bench terraces. The washing away of soil nutrients by the rains is also prevented by terrace farming, and it leads to the growth of healthy crops. Plants can be carried away by the heavy flowing rivers of water. And also, the crops can be carried away by rainwater. It leads to having a low crop yield.