The agricultural sector faces many challenges. Over-farming, drought conditions, nutrient preservation, access to information and a population expected to double over the next few decades are just the tip of the iceberg.

To help farmers tackle these challenges, technology creators’ main objective is to formulate solutions that can be integrated into traditional farming equipment and processes while maximising their efficiency. Conscious of the fact that fresh produce loses 30% of nutrients three days after harvest, Centurion-based NGA Data Science Experts devised a solution to help foster farming practices in urban areas. This helps speed up the process of getting the harvest to the shelves quicker while preserving nutrients. Farming closer to residential and retail spaces means the fresh produce can reach the market within 24 hours of harvest. “The offering is an end-to-end solution, using IoT and AI to monitor the tunnel operations, which enables us to action any issues identified remotely or automatically,” says Mark Germishuys, NGA’s CEO. “The solution is used to determine the optimal frequency, concentration of nutrient solutions, as well as environmental controls on ambient conditions such as temperature and light.” BMEC Technologies is a Cape Town-based multi-spectrum engineering consulting entity founded by Heidi Wilson and Raphael Smith. The company is equally enthusiastic about integrating IoT into traditional farming equipment for a dual outcome of speeding up and simplifying their daily routines.