Microsoft drives technology on farms to solve problems AgTech Hackathon at Massey University.
Microsoft developers are bridging the gape between the natural food and agriculture industry & technology one issue at similar time.
more than 1 hundred people attain the launch of the first AgTech Hackathon at Massey University on Feb 24 when it was uncovered what farming problems would be put to a group of computer gigs.
Hackathon allows the farming community to present every single day issues to technology gurus, who then creatively solve them drawing on their software programming skills based on hardware.
On farm issue include measuring grass, managing water supply, connectivity with mobile coverage & internet.The project was founded by Microsoft, Building Clever Companies, Manawatu-Rangitikei Federated Farmers, Accelerate 25, Future Institutes and New Zealand AgriFood week of investment.
Microsoft upper most senior director Tony Newling said the company was on a "mission to empower" by giving such technology experts with the tools to the platform to help solve the issues facing farmers. "The earth can't feed itself in 20 years without damaging the planet," he says,
"We need technology to help us solve these problems. Years ago what we are doing now would have been science fiction, but technology is getting us to a stage now where we can solve really deep problems."
Newling was hoping the event would encourage conversation between the agricultural industry and technology both across Manawatu and the country.
Microsoft scientist Ranveer Chandra has done research in data-driven farming, focusing on drone imaging and rural connectivity.
"We are facing the enormous challenge of doubling the world's food production by 2050 without an increase in arable land," he said.
"Luckily, New Zealand is very aware of the environment. It is not the same around the world."
This is Chandra's first trip to New Zealand and after a bungee jump in Queenstown he was excited to see his first cow in Manawatu.
Chandra said his team did not claim to know more than farmers, but that they wanted to supplement farmer's knowledge with data.
"Farmers who know a lot about their farm, when equipped with this kind of data, can make smart, informed decisions."
He says, the uniqueness between a good farmer & an average farmer was two weeks.
"It all comes down to timing. We feel like two kids in a candy store with all this talk of apps and technology use. We're just excited to see what [the experts] come up with."
