Farmers may soon be able to chat with an AI assistant for agriculture on their smartphones. This is the vision of Felippe Karp, an instructor and researcher at Olds College of Agriculture and Technology. He believes it could make farming easier by boosting efficiency and profits.

Nitrogen is a fundamental driver of plant growth, yet a significant portion of what is applied annually by farmers is not taken up by the crop. When nitrogen fertilizer is applied to a field, a portion is lost to greenhouse gas emissions, leaching and run-off. “It’s an inefficiency problem,” said Chad Matthies, chief growth officer of Ukko Agro, a Toronto-based ag tech company.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is quietly revolutionizing processes that underpin sectors from astronomy and health care to manufacturing and entertainment. Research and development of AI in agriculture and agri-food is likewise revolutionary, with products now available or galloping toward commercial release.

For developers of next-generation agricultural equipment and systems, the gap between drawing board and commercialization can be a lonely wilderness. To support the efforts of such innovators in the agri-food and technology sectors, the Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network (CAAIN) was formed in 2019 with a $49.5 million grant from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s Strategic Innovation Fund.

In the world of technology and investment, agriculture is hot. Big data, robotics and automation technologies are coming to market in the crop and livestock arenas, and promise big changes and rewards for farmers. Canadian agtech companies turn heads worldwide, and are supported by a favourable funding environment and growing support network.