Introducing HAL24K Agri
HAL24K Agri is a data partner of Royal Eijkelkamp and develops AI models, explains Ruud Kaijtjily, who works at HAL24K Agri and is a board member of Soil Valley. Thijs Teerlink, Technical Program Manager at Royal Eijkelkamp and partner within Soil Valley, adds, "Royal Eijkelkamp has been a specialist in water and soil research for 110 years. We are increasingly using data to devise solutions, and we collaborate with HAL24K Agri."
Better Insights
HAL24K Agri is working on the market introduction of various AI measurement models. The company is currently developing a model to assess soil health. “With the help of smart cameras and AI models, we quickly get a detailed picture of soil life. This method speeds up results from 48 to 72 hours. Previously, soil samples were sent off; now, you get immediate results,” Kaijtjily explains. “The biggest advantage is the speed of measurement and automation.”
An AI soil measurement model is particularly beneficial for farmers. The healthier the soil, the healthier the food production. Teerlink notes, “If a farmer wants to optimize their soil management, they need to know the state of the soil. It starts with documenting the baseline and then monitoring it. AI helps map the soil and identify improvement opportunities for a healthier soil. For example, the presence of microorganisms like nematodes, which are tiny worms invisible to the naked eye. They are crucial for soil life, the intermediaries that ensure the nutrient cycle works.”
Releasing Bees
Another AI model from HAL24K Agri helps seed growers determine the optimal time to release bees for pollinating seed plants. “Timing is crucial for pollination,” says Kaijtjily. “Drones fly over the fields and take photos that show the growth stage of the flowers. To teach this system when to release the bees, we fed it thousands of photos of seven different growth stages. The computer now recognizes each growth stage and the ideal time to deploy the bees. We are now investigating the impact of this model; on test strips, it already results in 10 to 12 percent more seeds.” Teerlink adds, “Bees are sometimes hired, so if you can estimate the perfect timing, it reduces costs for a seed grower and makes their operations more sustainable by needing fewer seed plants.” Kaijtjily concludes, “This technique can also be applied to food crops in the future.”
Fungal Disease
HAL24K Agri has also started developing an AI model to recognize the fungal disease Botrytis in tulip and chrysanthemum bulbs. “You might think that the wetter it is over a longer period, the greater the risk of Botrytis, but it’s not that simple. That’s why we need about three years to conduct thorough research,” Kaijtjily explains. This AI model is also fed thousands of aerial images of bulb fields taken by drones. “Using these, we built algorithms to recognize Botrytis. This solution helps bulb farmers increase yields by enabling quicker detection of fungal infections and earlier removal of diseased bulbs, which is better for the soil.”
Licensing
Companies, farmers, or other organizations can access the AI models through HAL24K Agri’s online platform, a cloud-based solution. Customers obtain access to applications and data through a license.
For soil knowledge and analysis, Soil Valley is the go-to place. They are also working with educational institutions to develop training programs for, for example, civil servants. “These programs cover soil in the broadest sense. Some people don’t know the difference between loess and clay, and we want to raise awareness of the importance of healthy soil. Municipalities are now required to work in a water and soil-resilient manner when designing public spaces. This means they must consider how to divert water without causing issues for the land, water, and soil in new construction projects. This brings significant changes for civil servants,” Kaijtjily notes. “We assist with that.”
Get Involved
Teerlink and Kaijtjily invite entrepreneurs, from large companies to startups, to get in touch with Soil Valley. “Any innovative organization in the field of soil in East Netherlands is welcome. If you want to go far, it’s better to run as a group than to sprint alone,” says Kaijtjily. Teerlink adds, “Think carefully about your problem and keep reasoning until you address the fundamental issue. Don’t just treat symptoms; to truly tackle a problem, you need to change the foundation. It all starts with the soil.”
“The greatest benefit of AI lies in speed and automation.”
Interested in working with AI? Contact Chris Willemsen or Marianne Pouwer from Oost NL.
