AI on Our Plates

At the AI + Environment Summit in Zurich, an afternoon workshop led by the World Food System Center focused on the use of AI for sustainable food systems.

11.10.2024 by Jeanne Tomaszewski

Read
Number of comments

At the external page AI+Environment Summit on 02 October, the Center brought together experts from across the food system to share their knowledge and perspectives about the use of AI to contribute to sustainable, innovative, and competitive agricultural production and increase transparency from producers to consumers.

Farmers, distributors, and we as consumers make numerous decisions every day that impact the nutrition and sustainability of the meals on our plates. With all these choices, all this data, the integration of AI in agriculture, food supply chains, and customer markets presents both significant challenges and transformative opportunities. The afternoon workshop, moderated by Center staff Jeanne Tomaszewski, explored how AI technologies can push forward sustainable food systems, by enhancing productivity and efficiency while reducing environmental footprints.

Joaquin Gajardo talked about his research at Crop Science ETH evaluating the dynamics of plant growth using image-based machine learning methods to provide farmers with yield predictions (Image: WFSC). Matteo Turchetta introduced Kora Labs and its development of agriculture management tools that provide personalized and sustainable fertilization plans for any farm (Image: WFSC).
Sharon Wulff introduced the machine learning used to power the digital native trading platform for fresh produce at Agrinorm (Image: WFSC). Manuel Klarmann explained the environmental footprint calculations possible for food products and menus using Eaternity Institut's models (Image: WFSC).
The diverse audience then posed several great questions to the panel (Image: WFSC).

The discussion ranged from possible incentives to increase AI adaption on farms to the data needed for models of supply chains and environmental footprints of food.

Thanks to all for taking the short walk to join us! And thanks to ETH AI Center for organizing.