SupPlant's plant sensors for informed irrigation
Israel-based precision agriculture company SupPlant has raised another $27-million to advance its technology and expansion in the digitalisation of irrigation space.
The latest funding round brings SupPlant’s total funding to more than $46-million, and was led by Red Dot Capital Partners, a principal of which – Atad Peled – will join SupPlant’s board of directors.
The company says global warming is impacting farmers who are dealing with unpredictable, rapidly changing climate and a constant lack of irrigation water.
SupPlant offers climate smart irrigation recommendations to help farmers around the world be more resilient against volatile weather events.
The company explains that its plant database combines data from 32 crops in 14 countries, covering growing conditions from dry arid regions of the Middle East to tropical conditions in Central America.
Data is gathered from sensors that are placed on plants and their surroundings, which radiate the plant’s data to the cloud, including how much water the plant needs to maximise growth.
The data is translated through artificial intelligence and big data to irrigation models, recommendations and actionable insights.
In South Africa, SupPlant technology is distributed by AECI Plant Health.
The latest funds raised will allow the company to invest in the South African market and other markets in Africa, such as Morocco, as well as develop its product further.