CropIn Technology Solutions, Eachmile Technologies, Ecozen Tech Solutions Ltd, Elixia Tech Solutions Ltd and Pula Advisors were among the five finalists of the Asia-based Food Loss Challenge initiative, spearheaded by Rabobank Asia and Rabo Foundation, which have teamed up to deliver Rabobank’s mission of Growing a Better World Together.
CropIn Technology Solutions is an intuitive, intelligent, self-evolving system that delivers future-ready farming solutions to the entire agricultural sector. With capabilities of live reporting, analysis, interpretation and insight that span across geographies, their solution digitises every farm, while data-managing the entire ecosystem.
Eachmile Technologies Uses mobile technology to provide fishers and farmers the data they need to improve their livelihoods, and connect each link of otherwise-fragmented supply chains. Ecozen Solutions Pvt Ltd provides renewable energy-based products that can store and transport perishables along the value chain.
Elixia Tech Solutions Ltd provides comprehensive and customised solutions for transportation, logistics and supply chain management across industries by converting accurate and real-time data actionable business intelligence. Pula Advisors develops and distributes bundles of financial and agronomic services for smallholder farmers. The bundle includes agricultural inputs, insurance and precision agronomic advisory.
They were among the 20 chosen on Pitch Day, held recently in Singapore. The inaugural Asia-based open innovation challenge aims to identify innovative agricultural technologies (AgTech) start-ups to help solve global farm-to-market food loss problems.
The winner will be awarded a jury’s prize of $15,000 and an audience prize of $5,000 at Rabobank’s annual Asia Food and Agribusiness advisory board meeting in Singapore on November 15, 2018, following the pitches of the five finalists’ food loss solutions to a panel of judges, comprising Rabobank Asia and Rabo Foundation, as well as the partners of Rabobank, such as Archer Daniels Midland Company, Charoen Pokphand Group, Olam International, Temasek and UPL Ltd.
Besides vying for the five spots in the finale, the Pitch Day provided also opportunity to connect the start-ups to other start-ups, potential investors and other stakeholders. The teams presenting were diverse, with most of their solutions showing a strong market orientation and adoption of technology and data analytics to help reduce food loss in an innovative way.
Diane Boogaard, chief executive officer, Rabobank Asia, explained, “As the world’s population continues to grow rapidly, the demand for food is set to rise considerably, causing food availability to be an unneglectable concern, especially in Asia, where the population is projected to grow over five billion by 2050.
“Food loss is another alarming issue particularly in South and South-East Asia, where about 59 per cent of food produce is either spoiled or damaged before making it to the dining table,” she added.
“This was why we initiated the Food Loss Challenge Asia, in partnership with our clients, to identify and help develop start-ups with innovative solutions to contribute to our commitment to helping halve food loss by 2020,” Diane Boogaard said.
Albert Boogaard, head of innovation, Rabo Foundation, said, “In today’s technology-enabled world, we put innovation at the core of what we do. We continuously look for new ways to help our clients grow enough food to feed the world’s growing population sustainably.”
“Through the Food Loss Challenge, we look to identify partners to develop innovative solutions to address pain points along the post-production food and agri-business value chain across logistics, storage and refrigeration to help alleviate food loss,” he added.
“We are impressed by the sophisticated solutions presented at the Challenge. We are particularly encouraged by the high quality ideas geared around what and how consumers and smallholders can pay for and benefit from,” Albert Boogaard stated.
Mark van Binsbergen, chief executive officer, Rabobank Singapore, said, “Benefiting from its geographical advantage of being at the heart of South-East Asia and the access to technology, Singapore is a logical starting point for our inaugural Food Loss Challenge.
“We are pleased to see in the submissions their ability to integrate innovative technology and enhance interconnectedness along the value chain. We are glad to have found like-minded individuals who are also passionate about helping to grow a better world together – a mission that guides what we do at Rabobank,” he added.
Inaugurated in August 2018, the initiative received 127 submissions from 29 countries across Asia, Africa, the Middle-East and Europe. Each finalist was awarded a $1,000 prize.
Caption: Top five finalists of the recently held Pitch Day of the Food Loss Challenge Asia which saw 20 teams vying to go to the finale on November 15, 2018