Agtech Can Help Make the Planet Greener

In this World Economic Forum article, Philip Meissner, Professor at the ESCP Business School, Founder & Director European Center for Digital Competitiveness, asserts that new green tech, from vertical farming to 3D printing and plant-based meat, can reduce our environmental footprint while enabling sustainable growth. “Imagine growing crops with 95% less water or producing meat through methods that free up 80% of the world’s agricultural land. And how about eliminating the CO2 of global supply chains by simply moving production facilities closer to customers and cutting the parts used in the final product a hundredfold? What might sound like crazy ideas are solutions available today through green technologies.” Applications supporting the Internet of Things and powered by AI will help farmers far more precisely apply pesticides, fertilizers, and water based on actual real-time conditions not only on their farms but on surrounding lands.