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This is exactly what I am working on. Using climate data for more efficient farming, in a nutshell. Established players are like sledge hammers. They are succe
by mikorym 7y ago
This is exactly what I am working on. Using climate data for more efficient farming, in a nutshell.
Established players are like sledge hammers. They are successful if they are hard working and have some competitive edge (could be labour cost, could be local knowledge, could be profit reinvestment, could be rights to varieties).
Farmers are the most efficient managers you'll ever find. They don't need management, so IMHO any startup that tries a "smart farm" is underestimating the intelligence of the farm managers.
The sweet spot is immediate deliverables in terms of cost saving or other forms of optimisation. In the time of my grandfather, the profit margin was 50% and a flip of the coin whether you'll actually get anything to the market. Today it is <10% and you better know what you are doing.
The retailers are the real money spinners; if you want to make your money at the primary level you better like the social aspect of farming as well.
Don't misunderstand, there is plenty tech, but it is probably more important whether you are willing to work on a Sunday. Take from it what you will; my opinions tend to somewhat unique (in this regard). For example, don't waste your time with "organic farming". It's a marketing term and actually not very descriptive (vs. "organic chemistry"). Sure, you could make money, but in marketing.
The toughest problems are pretty damn interesting though and are basically going to cross polinate with the most cutting edge climate change research.
- abledon 7y agoChicken coops that are picked up at night by 6 heavy duty drones and flown to a new part of the field —- sign me up
- mikorym 7y agoIs this then called 3D free range chicken?
- abledon 7y agofree++, since their 'range' of freedom is constantly being changed to a new location in the field, plus before, they still had 3 dimensions of range, hopping up into coop at night (+z) and hopping down during day (-z). I'm talking about organic farm chickens here, not factory farm.