Canada’s climate is changing. Higher temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, extreme weather events and rising sea levels are just some of the changes already affecting many aspects of our lives.
Changes in climate will persist and, in many cases, will intensify over the coming decades. That will have significant impacts on Canadian communities through our economy, social well-being and environment.
We must understand these impacts and the options available to us if we want to build resilience through adaptation, reduce the associated risks and costs of climate change’s impacts, and support sound decision-making.
Germination put out the call for seed industry players who are making a difference in helping mitigate the effects of climate change. The qualifications? That the company have an active effect on mitigating the effects of climate change on Canada’s seed sector. Here’s the fifth of who we selected for 2022.
Sustainability is critical to the success of this Israeli company’s efforts to meet the growing global demand for food, fuel, and fibre. Agmatix assists agri-businesses, food processors and NGOs by providing data-driven technologies that help quantify crop nutrition and the corresponding environmental footprint of agronomic practices.
Its algorithms calculate the carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions based on different parameters such as field characteristics (soil type, organic matter, pH); environmental conditions; agronomic practices; crop type & stages; inputs & timing, yield and residue management.
The company’s technology was used in early 2022 by researchers in Ontario and the American Midwest to study soybean sudden death syndrome (SDS), which has become a leading cause of the decline in soybean crop yield in North America. A coalition of extension pathologists want to be able to predict where SDS outbreaks are most likely to occur and the severity of their occurrence.
“There’s a huge demand for this among growers, including researchers from Canada, as soybean yields go up. When yields rise, you take a higher risk when it comes to diseases like SDS,” says Sagi Katz, vice-president of agronomy for Agmatix.
“We’re looking at how growers can find the best time to plant soybean seed to help them reduce the risk and better predict how they might be affected by SDS. If we can help them reduce their risk, we can increase the return on investment for the farmer and for the industry as a whole. Eventually, we can help develop a decision support system that will allow farmers to make better decisions.”
Ultimately, the Agmatix platform enables the development of statistically and scientifically stronger agricultural models, which helps to reduce food waste and support the issues of world food poverty and a growing global population.
For more climate smart companies visit:
Ellis Seeds Shows How to Create a Climate-Smart Business Model
Sarah Foster and 20/20 Seed Labs are Reducing the Carbon Footprint of Seed Testing
This Tech Company is Helping Plant Researchers Breed for Drought Tolerance
This Nova Scotia Company is Helping Ensure Sustainable Harvests
