IBM partners with Yara to develop world-leading digital farming platform

Leading crop nutrition firm Yara International has announced a partnership with IBM that will see the companies collaboratively develop a world-leading digital farming platform that will provide holistic services and data-driven agronomic advice.

In the press release, Yara said the platform will enable an increase in global food production rates through insights continually generated by IBM’s digital platforms, AI and data analytics capabilities.

Machine learning and in-field data will also provide farmers worldwide with advice that will enhance the efficiency of their operations, with the firms aspiring to cover 100mn hectares of farmland (7% of arable land worldwide).

"Our collaboration centers around a common goal to make a real difference in agriculture. To be able to responsibly feed a growing population, it is critical that farmers increase food production on existing farmland to avoid deforestation,” said Terje Knutsen, EVP Sales and Marketing at Yara, in the company’s press release.

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“Yara and IBM will develop digital solutions that empower professional and smallholder farmers to optimize farming practices to increase yields, crop quality and incomes in a sustainable way.”

Luq Niazi, IBM’s Global Managing Director of Consumer Industries, added:

"As demand for food rises along with the world's population, the digital farming platform will play a key role in increasing global farming yields in a sustainable way. 

“The collaboration is a perfect symbiosis of IBM's capabilities in AI, big data management and blockchain technology and Yara's agronomic knowledge, farmer-centric digital innovation, and proven track record in improving farming across the globe.”