WayBeyond says its new forecasting tool offers predictive intelligence for crops in tunnels and greenhouses
New Zealand-based agtech company WayBeyond has unveiled a new, AI-powered agronomy tool which it says will help producers anticipate climate risks to their crops faster and act before yields are affected.
Announcing the launch of Agronomy Intelligence, which is available as part of its FarmRoad platform, the group said the module would give growers of protected crops an “AI-powered” daily plan, with recommended actions to speed up their decision making.
In protected growing environments, including tunnels and greenhouses, the system’s forecasts are said to offer up to 97 per cent accuracy.
“Most growers today aren’t short on data. They’re short on the clarity to act on information at the right moment,” said Daniel Than, WayBeyond’s customer success director.
“Unlike traditional reporting tools that focus on what has already happened, this solution combines farm data with hyperlocal climate forecasts to anticipate what is likely to happen next. This gives growers the confidence to plan ahead and manage their crops proactively rather than reactively.”
The development signals a move towards so-called predictive intelligence. According to Mpatisi Moyo, the group’s head of AI, the software offers assistance that is tailored to each specific farm.
“Generic AI tools give generic advice,” he commented. “FarmRoad Agronomy Intelligence draws on the full operational context of each farm – the crop variety, local climate, production setup, and growing environment – to deliver recommendations that are specific, actionable, and grounded in real growing conditions.”
