ORGANIC PRODUCE ACCESSABILITY
| Project | Details |
|---|---|
| Project Country: | USA / California |
| Project Type: | Innovation Challenge |
| Project Lead: | Anthony Zolezzi |
| Project Duration: | 14 months |
CONTEXT:
The year is 2015. California is in the midst of the worst drought in its history. 80% of all available freshwater goes to its farming community where demand greatly exceeds supply.
CHALLENGE:
Reduce the amount of water we give to our farming community by a minimum of 10% while holding output and quality constant.
CLIENT:
US Government + AeroVironment (unmanned aircraft systems)
SOLUTION:
Combined the capabilities of market leaders in remote sensors, drones, predictive analytics and mesh network communications to monitor hydrology across various landscapes and maximize yields with reduced water inputs.
SECONDARY BENEFITS:
- A new understanding of the water footprint derived from almond production and exportation in the state of California, the largest producer of almonds in the world.
- Linking the wealth of data from sensors with climate shifts. Ultimately, this will help create finer-grained climate models to predict how landscapes might change in the future which will help state officials plan ways to reduce the impact of drought and other stressors on habitats, agriculture and urban environments.