CAAIN
CAAIN
Croptimistic Technology Inc., a Canadian agtech company, has assembled an impressive partnership to achieve its project goal. This initiative will see academic and on-farm researchers, industry players, and smart farm staff collaborate to develop and demonstrate new soil technologies, and then validate them with agricultural producers.
Farmers spend most of their budget on soil-applied inputs—think fertilizer, seed, and herbicides. They need precise soil, water, and topography (SWAT) data when planning optimal site-specific applications. “Crop potential” technology such as satellite imagery of biomass and growth is relatively common. Far more difficult to source is accurate, automated, artificial intelligence-ready “soil potential” information generated by soil-based hardware and software—information of vital importance to farmers planning optimal input application. Already used for soil sampling and variable-rate fertilizer on millions of acres, SWAT MAPS is a patented process that uses multiple layers of data to build that needed single soil map.
This project will expand SWAT MAPS’s capacity, eventually allowing it to answer questions such as, “Which seed varieties grow best in dry zones, wet zones, or saline areas?” SWAT CAM, an affordable, automated, high-resolution image-capture system, will apply machine learning analysis to understand crop establishment and map weed pressure across entire farms, supporting variable-rate seed prescriptions. SWAT MAPS research will be applied in potato growing-areas to inform agronomic improvements. Remote sensing artificial intelligence (AI) will support on-farm trial evaluation, allowing measurement throughout the growing season.
By collaborating with commercial and smart farms across the country, SWAT MAPS will develop scalable analytics and agronomic validation solutions supporting the widespread adoption of precision agriculture. This, in turn, will improve producer profitability and environmental sustainability. From soil-based AI to scalable field execution, this project will lead the way as Canada’s premiere soil technology collaboration.
CAAIN Contribution
$1,101,121
Total Project Value
$4,739,549
Project Contact
Cory Willness
Chief Executive Officer
Croptimistic Technology
cory@swatmaps.com