Key Takeaways:
- CIBO Technologies leverages simulation, modeling, and remote sensing to support regenerative agriculture.
- The company’s platform simplifies access to sustainability programs by integrating corporate and government incentives.
- CIBO collaborates with agricultural advisors to scale its solutions.
- Challenges include slow corporate climate action and complex enrollment processes for farmers.
- By 2030, CIBO aims to impact over 100 million acres globally while maintaining profitability.
Daniel Ryan on Leveraging Technology for Regenerative Agriculture
CIBO Technologies, founded by Flagship Pioneering, was established to address challenges in understanding and improving the food system at scale. According to Daniel Ryan, CEO of CIBO Technologies, the company focuses on leveraging science and technology, including simulation, modeling, and remote sensing, to create scalable solutions without relying on extensive local data.
“The problem we’re trying to solve is understanding the food and agriculture system at any scale without having to get local data,” Ryan explained. “Using inferences and modeling, we aim to understand what’s happening anywhere without needing data from a farmer.”
The company’s software platform aims to enable corporations and governments to implement sustainability programs that incentivize farmers to adopt regenerative agriculture practices.
Daniel Ryan on Bridging Farmers and Incentives
CIBO’s mission includes simplifying access to sustainability programs for farmers. Ryan noted that farmers often face complex enrollment processes, which can deter participation. “One of the challenges is that enrollments for some programs are very complex for farmers,” he said. “Farmers have to manually gather data about planting dates, cultivars, and nitrogen use, which can be a lengthy process.”
To address this, the platform works through trusted advisors, such as agronomists and crop consultants, who bring these programs to farmers. “Rather than try to create trust at the farmgate ourselves, we’ve chosen to leverage the existing relationships farmers have with their advisors,” Ryan added.
CIBO’s technology also pre-qualifies farmers for programs based on field boundaries and modeled practices, reducing the burden of data collection during the initial stages of enrollment. “We can very quickly tell farmers whether they’re qualified for a program without requiring them to answer a thousand questions,” said Ryan.
Daniel Ryan on Addressing Industry Challenges
The agricultural sector faces several challenges, including financial pressures on farmers and slow progress by corporations toward climate targets. Ryan acknowledged that corporate commitments to sustainability have progressed more slowly than anticipated. “Inflation has impacted their margins,” he said. “They’ve probably come out of the gate more slowly than if you’d talked to them in 2020 or 2019.”
CIBO’s platform seeks to address these issues by integrating government funding, such as USDA conservation programs, with corporate sustainability initiatives. This approach aims to reduce costs for corporations while providing financial benefits to farmers. “We integrate USDA NRCS grants directly into our platform,” Ryan explained, “to bring funding alongside corporate incentives and deploy programs to farmers more effectively.”
Daniel Ryan on Innovations in Regenerative Agriculture
Ryan highlighted several technologies that could advance regenerative agriculture, including biologicals that improve soil health, nitrogen-use efficiency, and automated data integration from farm equipment. Long-term funding is also critical. “Our goal is to create a 10-year resilience roadmap,” Ryan explained, “emphasizing the importance of supporting farmers through the initial years of transition to regenerative practices.”
Additionally, while official statistics on the adoption of regenerative agriculture are challenging to establish, certain practices are gaining traction. For example, the McKinsey Global Farmer Insights 2024 states that 68% of farmers have adopted crop rotations, 56% have implemented reduced or no-tillage practices, 40% utilize variable-rate spraying or fertilization, and 35% practice controlled irrigation.
The company also sees potential in complementary financial solutions, such as low-interest loans and innovative insurance products, to further encourage adoption of sustainable practices. “There are fintech elements, like lower-interest loans for regenerative farming, that will become increasingly important as we move forward,” Ryan noted.
Vision for The Company
CIBO Technologies aims to expand its reach globally, impacting over 100 million acres of farmland. The company’s goal is to become a leading platform for regenerative agriculture, balancing scalability and profitability. “We hope to become the de facto standard for regenerative agriculture and to have a global impact, not just in North America,” said Ryan.
Ryan outlined a vision for a more resilient food system, reduced emissions, and improved soil health. He noted that reversing soil degradation and ensuring food security are essential priorities for the agricultural sector. Enhancing soil carbon sequestration could sequester up to 23 gigatons of carbon dioxide by 2050, creating long-term environmental benefits. “We don’t have a choice but to do this work,” Ryan stated. “Somehow, it has to get funded because people are going to want to eat.”
