AI Eyes On Old Tractors: Can PerPlant Give Farmer Their 25 Good Seasons?

Farmers are being asked to produce more with fewer inputs while facing volatile weather, tighter regulation and shrinking margins. Precision agriculture could help, but many technologies remain too expensive, unreliable or difficult to integrate into everyday farming.

In this episode, Sumod Nandanwar, co-founder and CTO of PerPlant, explains how the company is bringing artificial intelligence to the machinery farmers already own. Its camera-based system can be fitted to different tractors, where it monitors crops and controls the application of fertilisers, fungicides and herbicides in real time.

By connecting field observation directly with action, PerPlant aims to make farming more efficient, profitable and sustainable. Sumod also discusses how support from EIT Food has helped the startup connect with farmers and agricultural businesses as it prepares to enter new markets.

Key takeaways

Farmers need information about current conditions.

As weather becomes less predictable, relying solely on practices that worked in previous seasons carries greater risk.

Precision technology must deliver a clear return.

Farmers have a limited number of harvests during their careers. New tools must therefore be affordable, accessible and dependable.

Existing machinery can become smarter.

PerPlant’s system adds camera-based sensors and artificial intelligence to tractors, avoiding the need to invest in entirely new machinery.

Real-time analysis can guide input use.

The technology assesses crops as the tractor moves and adjusts the amount of fertiliser or crop protection product applied to individual areas.

Lower input use benefits farms and the environment.

PerPlant reports reductions of up to 18% for fertilisers, 25 to 35% for fungicides and 35 to 87% for herbicides.

Simple tools are more likely to be adopted.

Rather than presenting farmers with more data to interpret, the system converts its analysis into immediate action through straightforward controls.

Field data could accelerate agricultural innovation.

By gathering information whenever tractors cross a field, PerPlant aims to help farmers identify and analyse emerging problems more quickly.