Revolutionizing Agriculture: Instacrops Leverages AI to Optimize Water Use
A Critical Resource: Water in Global Agriculture
Agriculture, renowned as a vital industry, is responsible for a staggering 70% of the world’s freshwater consumption. In certain nations, such as India and Chile, this figure exceeds 90%. The implications of water scarcity are deeply felt, particularly by farmers like Mario Bustamante in Chile.
Tackling Water Shortages with AI
Bustamante is championing a solution through his innovative startup, Instacrops. Originally established to implement Internet of Things (IoT) sensors aimed at alerting farmers to frost threats, Instacrops has since shifted its focus toward software solutions designed to enhance water efficiency in farming practices.
By utilizing artificial intelligence, Instacrops is empowering 260 farms to reduce their water consumption by as much as 30% while simultaneously boosting crop yields by up to 20%. The startup has garnered attention as a participant in the Startup Battlefield, scheduled to present at the upcoming TechCrunch Disrupt event in San Francisco.
A Strategic Shift to AI
The company’s pivot from hardware to AI has transformed its operational model, enabling it to function with a leaner team while analyzing larger volumes of data. According to Bustamante, "We process approximately 15 million data points per hour, a figure that would have represented an entire year of data less than a decade ago. This shift has not only reduced costs but has also amplified our impact."
Instacrops employs new IoT sensors or connects with existing farm networks to gather essential data, offering precise irrigation recommendations. Utilizing large language models (LLMs), the startup considers over 80 different parameters, including soil moisture, humidity, temperature, atmospheric pressure, crop yield, and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), a satellite-derived metric that measures plant health.
Seamless Farmer Engagement through Technology
The insights provided by Instacrops are easily accessible via mobile applications. Although the startup has developed its own chatbot app, Bustamante noted that future plans heavily favor integration with WhatsApp, citing its ubiquity among farmers. "We anticipate being 100% on WhatsApp within the next year, making it a universal communication tool for our users," he stated.
For farms equipped with advanced technology, Instacrops can directly manage irrigation systems, ensuring optimal water efficiency.
Focused on High-Value Crops
Instacrops specializes in high-value produce prevalent in Latin America, including apples, avocados, blueberries, almonds, and cherries. Farmers benefit by paying an annual fee based on the hectare of farmland they seek to optimize with Instacrops’ irrigation insights.
With a background that includes participation in the Y Combinator summer 2021 batch and investments from SVG Ventures and Genesis Ventures, Instacrops is poised for further growth.
Discover More at TechCrunch Disrupt
Interested parties can learn about Instacrops and other innovative startups firsthand at TechCrunch Disrupt, scheduled for October 27 to 29 in San Francisco. Stay tuned to witness how AI is reshaping agricultural practices to confront the pressing challenges of water scarcity.
