IFAO: Sustainable Agtech for Profitability Challenge
IFAO sought innovative agtech solutions that improve decision-making and analysis of field crop farmers' operations, enabling optimized soil health, biodiversity, and profitability.
CHALLENGE LAUNCH: March 2024
AI Farm Technology Could Cut the Use of Chemical Herbicides by Half in Ontario
The Innovative Farmers Association of Ontario (IFAO) worked with Foresight to source innovative agtech solutions that improve decision-making and analysis of field crop farmers' operations, enabling optimized soil health, biodiversity, profitability, and overall sustainability management.
By reducing the need for chemical herbicides by 50% through predictive weed control, this Challenge demonstrates how integrating advanced technology into existing practices can enhance sustainability and productivity.
Learn more about this Challenge below.
Challenge Statement & Opportunity
Challenge Statement: Healthy soil means higher crop yields and increased farmer profitability. IFAO partnered with Foresight Canada to run a challenge focused on agtech that enables field crop farmers to reduce labour, improve their nitrogen use efficiency, cover crops, or assess their farm management impacts on soil biology and/or biodiversity.
Winning innovators received:
- Third-party validation through an adoption and diffusion outcome prediction assessment
- A farmer feasibility and agronomic assessment
- Sponsorship and speaking engagement opportunities at the IFAO Innovative Farming Conference 2025
- A feature in a communications campaign targeted directly to ‘first adopter’ farmers
Solutions & Winners
AI-driven agtech software venture Geco, was chosen as the winner of the Sustainable Agtech for Profitability Challenge. By reducing the need for chemical herbicides by 50% through predictive weed control, Geco demonstrated how integrating advanced technology into existing practices can enhance sustainability and productivity. Such innovations not only contribute to environmental stewardship but also support the broader goal of securing Canada's food supply in the face of changing climate conditions.
Winning this Challenge is a thrilling achievement for Geco, and it underscores our dedication to transforming control of weeds in field crop farming.
Geco is forging ahead to provide predictive weed control for environmental and economic benefit. Here's to a future where our efforts together make a lasting impact!
The Partner
As a collective of perceptive, innovative, and resourceful farmers, the IFAO has been promoting soil health in Ontario agriculture for over 30 years. They are focused on environmental and financial sustainability and supporting innovations in agriculture through connection and collaboration with farmers.
IFAO facilitates idea exchanges and collaborates to test and develop innovation to support the betterment of Ontario’s agricultural sector. Learn more at:
With agriculture playing a vital role in growing Canada's economy and reaching our net zero targets, the Sustainable Agtech for Profitability Challenge was a crucial endeavour for the Innovative Farmers Association of Ontario.
We are thrilled to collaborate with Geco, who are bringing new solutions to agriculture that are better for the environment and for farmers’ bottom line
Challenge Background & Considerations
The Challenge is designed to support Ontario-based farmers in adopting cleantech to address sustainability hurdles. Improved nitrogen-use efficiency is a key area of focus, given the mutualistic gains posed for both farmers' net profits and emissions reductions.
In order for a solution to have been considered successful it had to overcome these barriers:
Profitability
Profitability in the year that a technology or product is used is key. Applicants should consider how their solution might fit into existing networks of cooperative management or custom operations.
On-Farm Trials
Farmers will not readily adopt technologies or solutions that come out of controlled trials and greenhouse studies. Solutions must come from on-farm trials.
Soil Health Assessments
Soil health assessments need to be transparent, actionable, and comparable. The OMAFRA Soil Health Assessment Protocol is the preferred means of assessing changes in soil health. A minimum three year commitment is required to properly determine changes in soil health.
Farmer-to-Farmer Translation
The strongest solutions will empower farmers to share their knowledge with their peers through education and outreach events.
Agronomic Assessments
Every farm across Ontario is unique and not every solution will fit into an operation with the same ease. An agronomic assessment can give farmers a greater appreciation for how a solution would fit into their farm.
Skilled Labour Shortages
There is a significant skilled labour shortage in agriculture. Skills training and simplicity of solutions is key to successful adoption.
Nutrient Management Plans
Nutrient management plans are not required of field crop farmers in Ontario. Solutions requiring a nutrient management plan must be prepared to support farmers through a new and often daunting process.
Fertilizer Consultation Resources
Farmers appreciate independent information on fertilizer rates and applications in order to trust that they are applying the most economical rate.
Weather Uncertainties
Information must be available on the effectiveness of a product under the wide variety of weather conditions. Predicting rainfall is a significant challenge directly affecting how accurate and economical farmers can be with their nitrogen placement.
Evaluation & Eligibility:
Key assessment and eligibility criteria included:
- Profitability for the average field crop farmer in Ontario
- Level of simultaneous improvements in profitability and sustainability
- Ability to fit easily into existing farm operations with minimal skill improvements required
- Ability to address weather uncertainties directly through predictive technology or indirectly through technology use methodology that considers various water budgets
- That Sales efforts in Ontario must be underway
- Preference will given to Ontario-based companies
- Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 6-9
Updates
August 2024: Winner's Announced
AI-driven agtech software venture Geco, chosen as the winner of IFAO's Sustainable Agtech for Profitability Challenge. Their technology has the potential to reduce the need for chemical herbicides by 50% through predictive weed control, demonstrating how integrating advanced technology into existing practices can enhance sustainability and productivity.
March 2024: Challenge Launches
Agtech is essential for the future of Canadian agriculture, driving innovation and sustainability in the sector. By integrating advanced technologies, we can enhance productivity, improve resource management, and reduce environmental impact.
The advancements we achieve today will lay the foundation for a more resilient and sustainable agricultural landscape in Canada.
Our Partners
This challenge ran with support from our agriNEXT program, funded by founding partner Farm Credit Canada.
Find Market-Ready Innovation without the Risk
We connect industry with the world's best clean technologies. From agriculture to water to oil and gas, our Challenge program works to connect end-users with cleantech solutions to overcome sustainability and operational hurdles.