Key Takeaways
- Award Recognition: FarmSense’s FlightSensor technology won the New Product Development category at the National Center for Palms & Dates (NCPD) International Prize in Saudi Arabia.
- Event Details: The competition featured 171 entries from 31 countries, with FarmSense awarded a $100,000 prize.
- Innovative Technology: FlightSensor enables real-time pest monitoring and classification using AI and machine learning.
- Global Impact: The technology has been effective in U.S. tree nut farming and holds transformative potential for date palm cultivation.
- Significance: Recognized as a game-changer for addressing agricultural challenges in pest management.
FarmSense’s FlightSensor Technology Recognized in Saudi Arabia
FarmSense (Profile) was honored with the New Product Development category award at Saudi Arabia‘s National Center for Palms & Dates (NCPD) International Prize. The award, presented by Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, underscores the role of innovation in advancing the palm and date industries.
The competition, held in Riyadh, drew 171 entries from 31 countries, showcasing innovative solutions to enhance the global date palm sector. Dr. Eamonn Keogh, FarmSense Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, presented the company’s approach in a talk titled “Seeing Insect Pest Control as an Information Problem”, highlighting the FlightSensor technology’s impact.
FlightSensor: A Transformative Approach to Pest Control
FarmSense’s FlightSensor technology offers a new way to tackle pest management by combining patented technology with artificial intelligence and machine learning. The system:
- Monitors pests in real-time: Attracts, counts, and classifies insects by species, sex, and life stage.
- Enables data-driven decisions: Provides growers with actionable, precise data to improve pest control efficiency.
- Reduces labor and costs: Eliminates the need for manual inspection of mechanical traps.
Dr. Keogh explained the significance: “By reimagining insect pest control as an information-driven process, we are empowering growers with the real-time, actionable data they need to protect their crops more efficiently and sustainably. Winning this award is an honor and a testament to the global impact of innovative solutions in agriculture.”
Addressing Challenges in Date Palm Cultivation
Date palms hold immense cultural and economic value in Saudi Arabia but are increasingly threatened by insect pests. Traditional pest control methods rely on labor-intensive mechanical traps, which can delay data collection. FarmSense’s FlightSensor offers a sustainable alternative, enabling more timely and targeted pest management for improved crop health.
Already successful in U.S. tree nut farming, the application of FlightSensor to date palm cultivation demonstrates its global adaptability and potential impact for growers in the Middle East and beyond.
