York agricultural tech firm to work on project tackling South Africa's energy challenges

A groundbreaking project led by a Yorkshire agri-technology company is setting out to address South Africa's energy challenges with a new approach to its agricultural sector.

York-based AgriSound, a pioneer in agricultural bioacoustic AI technology, is working with the UK Agri-Tech Centre and GYO Systems, based in South Africa, to help improve yields of sugarcane through improved monitoring of crop pests. The project will also investigate the use of hydroponic technologies, all with the aim of increasing growth in bio-energy production in South Africa.

With 85 per cent of South Africa’s energy being generated via coal, the project hopes to make a “significant impact” on the production of renewable energy across the nation. AgriSound will deploy the innovative ‘Polly’ insect listening device to enable growers to track and eliminate the increasing damage caused by destructive pests such as the Eldana Stalk Borer.

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The data generated will aim to enable actionable outcomes to help growers harvest more abundant sugarcane crops in a sustainable and nature-based way, all within existing production areas, therefore avoiding compromising competing land priorities.

Representatives from the UK Agri-Tech Centre and GYO Systems, alongside project participants from Camperdown, KwaZulu-Natal, who will be working on the hydroponic element of the project.Representatives from the UK Agri-Tech Centre and GYO Systems, alongside project participants from Camperdown, KwaZulu-Natal, who will be working on the hydroponic element of the project.
Representatives from the UK Agri-Tech Centre and GYO Systems, alongside project participants from Camperdown, KwaZulu-Natal, who will be working on the hydroponic element of the project.

Dr Jenna Ross OBE of the UK Agri-Tech Centre said: "The increased availability of sugarcane has the potential to be used to generate bio-energy, a type of renewable energy with the potential to replace fossil fuels. As biomass grows, it absorbs carbon from atmosphere which is then released when incinerated. This makes biomass carbon neutral. Therefore, sugarcane offers massive economic and environmental rewards for South Africa.

“However, with yields seriously impacted by crop pests and excess land-use for crops under heavy scrutiny due to competing food/housing resources, this project aims to solve two pressing local problems in one move all whilst working closely with local communities to deliver employment and economic development opportunities.”

As well as improved pest monitoring, the project will also investigate expanding bio-energy production near urban land areas which would otherwise be inappropriate for housing or food through the introduction of innovative low-cost hydroponic technologies.

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This element of the project will target Camperdown, KwaZulu-Natal, an urban settlement close to one of the main sugarcane growing areas in South Africa, approximately 60km northwest of Durban and 20km southeast of Pietermaritzburg. The groups said the initiative will “directly benefit” underserved communities in the area, with the team delivering “inclusive and accessible” training on the technologies.

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