SUSTAINABILITY
An agricultural “response” to drought and climate change:
Itk has received the Solar Impulse label for its VINTEL software for intelligent vine irrigation.
VINTEL by itk – a decision support tool for vine management – is one of the 1000 global solutions selected for its environmental and profitability benefits by the Solar Impulse Foundation, created by the Swiss explorer Bertrand Piccard. While global warming will probably exceed 1.5°C after 2030 according to the IPCC, the challenge for agriculture is to adapt its production methods to cope with the higher incidence of water scarcity.
For the FAO, the UN agency specialized in food and agriculture, adaptation and strengthening the resilience of agricultural production requires “climate-smart agriculture” (CIA). The Solar Impulse labeling of itk’s technology present in its VINTEL decision support software for winegrowers is part of this digital transition to precision agriculture.
The Solar Impulse Foundation rewards VINTEL and awards it its “Solar Impulse Efficient Solution” label on the basis of three criteria: the credibility of the solution, the environmental benefits and profitability.
In real time, VINTEL determines the water status of the vineyard plots throughout the season. In the irrigation scenarios it proposes, the software takes into account the climate, soil, stage of development and management method of each plot, in order to achieve the targeted yield and quality objectives. The winegrower can thus control his irrigation precisely to ensure that not a single drop of water is wasted.
Itk takes its place in the “the world that comes after“
The path of sustainable development is no longer optional for the wine industry. With the health crisis, societal expectations for a more resilient model of agriculture are increasing. Sustainable development is no longer a factor of competitiveness, but is becoming a quality standard for the entire sector.
Agricultural “responses” to climate change will depend on the processing of the large amount of data (big data) available to farmers and their technical advisors. VINTEL by itk does not only take into account the water variable, but allows a better consideration of water compared to other inputs (nitrogen, etc.), thanks to a set of intelligent climate recommendations.
With this innovation, VINTEL by itk meets the requirements of objective 6 of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Objectives “Guarantee access to water and sanitation for all and ensure sustainable management of water resources“.
Climate change adaptation and mitigation measures rely more on information than on material. This is what VINTEL’s agri-intelligence brings to wine growers and fruit growers (almond and olive trees, etc.). The agronomic models included in VINTEL have thus enabled itk to apply the IPCC climate scenarios for the 21st century to Languedoc and Bordeaux viticulture, in order to anticipate their consequences on wine production. It is therefore a strategic innovation link in the agricultural value chain of the “next world”.
“By joining the Solar Impulse community, we want to play our role as the leading French cleantech innovation company. This international community is also an opportunity for our strategic sector of Agritech and Agri-intelligence to build bridges with other industries concerned with the protection and development of water resources, for the benefit of sustainable agriculture in Europe and around the world” says Aline BSAIBES, CEO of itk.
Co-Labelling
The Sun’Agri research program, led by the French company Sun’R, in which itk is the technological partner, has also been labeled by the Solar Impulse Foundation for its dynamic agrivoltaic innovation (mobile solar panels directed according to the plant’s need for light). The project aims to improve agricultural performance while bringing other co-benefits such as electricity production, crop protection against weather hazards or even a reduction in water consumption. This “co-labelling” reinforces the visibility of the industrial and commercial cooperation formalized last April between itk and Sun’Agri.
About Itk :
Itk, an agri-intelligence company, created in 2003, is a global player in the transformation for an efficient and sustainable agriculture, which meets the stakes: population growth, tensions on resources, climate change and consumer expectations. Integrating knowledge from both scientific research and field expertise, itk markets Decision Support Tools that help with strategic decision-making, risk forecasting and management, and farm and livestock management. Itk targets three markets: perennial crops (vines, almonds, olives, etc.) with Vintel®; annual crops (wheat, corn, soybean, etc.) with CropWin®; and livestock (cattle) with FarmLife®.
itk website: https://www.itk.fr/solutions/vintel/
Website of the Solar Impulse Foundation: https://solarimpulse.com/efficient-solutions/vintel
Press contact
Marie-Laure BISCAYE
Mobile : 0612708744
Mail : marie-laure.biscaye@itk.fr
Predict and Decide