Welcome to iGrow News, Your Source for the World of Indoor Vertical Farming
The Business Of Vertical Farming: What It Is And What It Isn’t
It’s definitely the future of agriculture but it’s also an opportunity for people to choose where they fit in and where they can make their most meaningful and important contribution
“Vertical farming is a tremendous opportunity,” says Glenn Behrman, founder and President of CEA Advisors, consultants and advisors to the global vertical farming industry and a 50-year veteran of the horticulture industry. It’s definitely the future of agriculture but it’s also an opportunity for people to choose where they fit in and where they can make their most meaningful and important contribution”.
Over the years, CEA Advisors has provided services for the development of indoor farming projects locally and internationally. They’ve worked on projects for growers, investors, universities, schools, food processors, vertical farm developers, pharmaceutical manufacturers and government agencies.
Fundraising business model
According to Glenn, many people enter the market without really doing their homework. They want to be in vertical farming, but they don’t know that there are many different industry entry points that are available that can really satisfy their interests. No questions are asked, no networking is done, and they do not drill down to a deeper level to see where their interest really is.
“Today, I see that many are only motivated with raising money but funding is not a business model. If money is your main motivation, you’re probably going to fail. There’s too much of a focus on raising money and not enough focus on making money. I believe a business should be cash flow positive, but we also need to be innovating and improving, not marketing concept systems to investors. New growers should first consider where they can make a difference in the market," says Glenn.
‘Go out there and start networking’
This highlights another big issue with vertical farming. According to Glenn, people don’t realize the relationship between the start-up vertical farmer and end-user, which is unbelievably important but fragile at the same time. A new farm cannot expect for institutional buyers to place orders just because they exist. When wanting to sell to retailers, Glenn says that it’s very unlikely for them to switch suppliers after being in business with them for many years. “Many growers overestimate their marketing capabilities because they don’t think the whole operational process out. The same problem with receivables, make sure you put away enough money to finance your receivables."
Glenn Behrmann
Glenn advises starting growers to first get involved with vertical farming by doing a lot of research. “Meaning, not only on the internet but go out there and talk to growers, visit farms, talk to produce buyers, restaurants and other end-users and get to know the industry. Get out in the field, visit trade shows, they’re thought-provoking, get active and do some networking. I also advise people to become a part of farming, grow things at home and get a better idea of what it’s all about. Then start focusing on the systems, machinery and equipment. But remember all growers need to look at the end result: the product.
Finding a balance
Every component, says Glenn, from seeds to sales involves many different processes. Every single process, every single link in the chain has room for improvement. “There are discussions about achieving a maximum yield in a sustainable manner. What isn’t realized is that maximum yield doesn’t only mean how much basil is grown in a specific time period, but it also dictates how less input should generate more output. Costs that are not controlled can render the most innovative system completely unsustainable.
It’s like an Excel spreadsheet, says Glenn. “Take every variable that goes into growing a crop, then continue to tweak, improve and change. At some point growers need to come up with the optimum result.” Glenn says that some might have the right component but not be in balance. Therefore, growers need to be always aware of all processes and keep them in balance. Too much light, too little light, wrong PH, bad air circulation, wrong fertilizer mix, high labor costs, wrong crop, humidity too high or too low? All need to be in balance to achieve success.
Don’t be afraid to ask
Glenn has more than 50 years of industry experience with a broad view of the market. “I don’t let myself get stuck in a corner, because I’m not afraid to ask when I don’t know or I’m not sure. During my early career in the foliage business, I asked a million questions, I watched how things were done, I took advice, I was like a sponge soaking up knowledge from those that came before me. Although I’ve been laser-focused on Vertical Farming for the past ten years, my attitude about acquiring knowledge hasn’t changed. Be curious and ask a lot of questions!"
“Nowadays, I see a lack of curiosity and a lot of over-confidence. Vertical farming needs to be taken one step at a time, meaning you cannot graduate college on the first day of high school, it’s a journey. Going into business is a risk and then there are more risks every day. Growers need to evaluate where they want to be in this equation. Nobody today promotes their vertical farming project as an R&D opportunity, but rather as the game-changing food supply of the future. The truth is with a technology that is constantly evolving, every single vertical farm operating today is still a work in progress."
Inside the Growtainer®
In addition to consulting and advising vertical farming CEA Advisors designs and builds custom Growtainers. “Each build is always interesting and challenging as they’re always built for a specific unique use and objective,” Glenn states. “I don’t believe that one size fits all in container farming and I don’t believe that plants were meant to grow sideways.
However, it is obvious that technology is constantly evolving and improving and each Growtainer must always provide what the end-user needs, whether it is for research or food production etc. Every unit must always be optimized. But Growtainers are technology-based and the end-user is always the most important part of the equation. And whether production takes place in a Growtainer or a Vertical Farm, it is always about balance.
For more information:
CEA Advisors LLC
Glenn Behrman, Founder and President
gb@cea-advisors.com
www.cea-advisors.com
Author: Rebekka Boekhout
© VerticalFarmDaily.com
Seattle Architect Is Helping The Fast-Growing Field of Indoor Ag Take Root
Seattle architect Melanie Corey-Ferrini is launching a controlled-environment business with assists from Sabey Corp., and Microsoft. The multifaceted, to-be-named enterprise includes a training program at Alan T. Sugiyama High School at South Lake in Seattle, where she is pictured in the cafeteria with a grow tower. Anthony Bolante | PSBJ
By Marc Stiles – Senior Staff Writer, Puget Sound Business Journal
January 16, 2021
Seattle architect Melanie Corey-Ferrini’s kiosk-style lobby pop-up concept called G2 is the ultimate in farm-to-fork dining. Protein-rich grains and greens are grown on-site in the unmanned, transparent kiosk and combined with other veggies, roots, spices and dairy to make custom bowls ordered on a mobile app. G2 last summer was named best pioneering food service concept in a national contest.
It’s one small example of the possibilities of controlled-environment agriculture (CEA), which is at the heart of Corey-Ferrini’s latest endeavor: a multifaceted, urban ag project largely centered in Tukwila, where Sabey Corp. is providing warehouse space for hydroponic growing equipment that Microsoft donated.
Corey-Ferrini will use space at Sabey’s Intergate East data center campus to build and launch CEA education and business development programs this year.
CEA is a technology-based approach to food production that allows indoor farmers to maximize use of water, energy and labor. Worldwide in the third quarter, venture capitalists invested $1.6 billion in ag tech companies, bringing the 2020 total to $4.2 billion, according to PitchBook. Alexandria Real Estate Equities, a developer of life science office and lab space, offers early-stage companies move-in-ready space at its Center for AgTech in Durham, North Carolina.
The sector has struggled to put down roots in the Seattle region, where there has been one unsuccessful attempt. Now comes not only Corey-Ferrini’s to-be-named enterprise but also Kalera, a Florida-based company that plans to open a facility in 70,000 square feet of leased space in Lacey this year.
Several years ago, Corey-Ferrini consulted with Microsoft on a CEA project in Redmond. Contract farmers used Microsoft’s PowerBI and Azure platforms to grow in hydroponic towers lettuce and micro-greens for company cafeterias.
“I was like, why aren’t more people doing this? It seems like it should be a programmatic feature in all food-related spaces,” said Corey-Ferrini. “I’ve learned it’s really a little bit of robotics, a little bit of AI, a little bit of automation.”
As a member of Soroptimist Seattle, which works to empower women and girls, she is establishing a program at Alan T. Sugiyama at South Lake, an alternative public high school in the Rainier Valley. She is working with other groups like New Roots, an International Rescue Committee program that provides land and other support in South King County to around 150 immigrant and refugee families.
Deepa Iyer, senior program coordinator for New Roots, said a pilot indoor ag tech and business class will be offered at the Sabey building through Corey-Ferrini’s enterprise. She said it will provide pathways not only to a year-round growing platform but training for tech careers.
The experience of a Seattle indoor ag business, UrbanHarvest, shows the challenges of such an endeavor. Six years ago, it worked with Seattle’s Millionair Club Charity (now Uplift Northwest) during its launch, but the program shut down after about a year when it couldn’t raise additional funds, said founder Chris Bajuk.
Corey-Ferrini is approaching it with a long-term view and plans to build a multipronged enterprise with multiple income streams. Kara Anderson, director of architecture at Sabey, said Corey-Ferrini has a good shot at pulling this off.
“She’s got endless energy,” said Anderson, who added that, like Sabey, Corey-Ferrini is known for outside-the-box thinking.
“She’s not afraid to pick up an idea without knowing really how she’s going to pull it together. She just starts marching down the path to get partners and grab people into her extensive network to brainstorm,” said Anderson.
Sabey, a developer and operator of data centers nationwide, sees opportunities in the project for both its business and community.
“We’re interested in what’s going on in our backyard and opportunities to help out and make some lives better if we can,” Anderson said “At some point these indoor facilities will be monitored by computers and that, in turn, ends up feeding into the data center world.”
Melanie Corey-Ferrini
Position: Chief experience architect
Company: Dynamik Space, a design and branding company
Founded: 2000
Career: Also currently CEO of 3.14DC, which programs food and retail spaces
Lessons Learned
Use your sense of humor.
Be curious.
Don’t fear failure.
PUERTO RICO: Indoor Vertical Farming Jumpstarts Agribusiness
Francisco Santana founded Grupo Vesan in 2015 with a simple concept: farming differently and more effectively. He looked to indoor vertical farming and became the first company in Puerto Rico to adopt that model
Grupo Vesan Seeks To Provide Food Security
With Sustainable Practices
Unlike other lettuce produced in Puerto Rico, the ones grown via vertical farming are unaffected by saltpeter, a naturally occurring nitrate. Courtesy of Grupo Vesan
January 13, 2021
A small business in the southern region of Puerto Rico is seeking to revolutionize agribusinesses with sustainable practices while providing food security and reducing the need for imported produce.
Francisco Santana founded Grupo Vesan in 2015 with a simple concept: farming differently and more effectively. He looked to indoor vertical farming and became the first company in Puerto Rico to adopt that model. As previously reported by THE WEEKLY JOURNAL, indoor vertical farming allows farmers to generate fresh food items in a controlled environment with smaller required spaces.
“Everything is with artificial lights and it works with 62 degrees F of temperature. It is a completely different environment. We regulate the humidity and even the oxygen level is controlled. The concept of all these parameters is completely different from what one usually finds in the market,” Santana explained.
In its beginnings, Grupo Vesan started with a 40-foot wagon and is now producing a variety of fruits and vegetables in Canas Industrial Park in Ponce, working with a 20-foot ceiling and 14 different parameters that allow for a broader range of products. Even after Hurricane Maria devastated nearly 70 percent of the island’s hydroponics, the company stood strong.
As such, Santana hopes that more agribusinesses incorporate this system so that residents have access to fresh food in times of crisis. “One of the benefits of this system… is that it provides food security. What we project is that agriculture should move indoors,” he said.
“Agriculture in Puerto Rico is not where it should be. That is the main issue of food security tied to this subject of indoor vertical farming. On the other hand, at the technology level, we are the pioneers in this process. We promote the idea of impacting the agriculture of Puerto Rico for new generations. [The idea that] new generations are not going to go to traditional agriculture; that is not true. We have, for example, an alliance with the Catholic University of Ponce and they send students here. They are working in air conditioning, in a white coat, like a pharmacist. They are doing scientific research, but they are really doing agriculture,” he added.
Islandwide Agriculture
Another benefit of indoor vertical farming is that it can be employed virtually anywhere in Puerto Rico, regardless of the soil’s fertility or if the area is prone to flooding or droughts. In fact, Grupo Vesan was founded while the island was experiencing a drought that prompted the Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (Prasa) to ration water.
Indoor vertical farming is also tied to the concept of “urban farming,” which is gaining popularity in Europe. That is, residents in any corner of Puerto Rico, including the San Juan metropolitan area or beachy municipalities like Dorado, can start their own agribusiness.
Likewise, this type of farming can be applied in spaces labeled as “brownfields,” which are areas that are contaminated and, therefore, unsuitable for traditional farming practices. Grupo Vesan even sells wagons for these purposes because one of their aims is to popularize this technique.
Environmental Impact
According to Santana, if more agribusinesses emerge with this model, the island would drop its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions because there wouldn’t be a need to transport fresh food via long distances. “It also provides fresher food to consumers and businesses like restaurants could apply the farm-to-table concept,” he said.
Moreover, Grupo Vesan packs its agricultural products with its roots in a pouch with water. This allows the product to have greater longevity, thus reducing food waste and allowing for financial savings by not having to purchase fresh fruits or vegetables as often. As an example, Santana stated that the lettuce produced by his company can last “two or even three weeks” without spoiling.
Apart from lettuce, Grupo Vesan also grows spinach, tomatoes, cilantro, peppers, broccoli, carrots and a variety of other agricultural products.
“Revenue, a sense of community, and environmental impact; those are the components of a sustainable company. In our case, we don’t use any insecticide or pesticide, none of that. Our products are practically organic,” he affirmed.
He added that the company is currently developing a project to grow strawberries, noting that indoor vertical farming could eventually minimize the need to import foods that can’t be grown in Puerto Rico via traditional farming.
Reporter for The Weekly Journal. She is a journalist with experience in social media management, translations, and digital marketing.
Follow Giovanna Garofalo, The Weekly Journal
Growing Smart And Sustainable
The industry has received much more attention this year, which has motivated the interest in sustainability. There is more focus on the sustainability of a farm, alongside its profitability and the validity of a system.
“The industry has received much more attention this year, which has motivated the interest in sustainability. There is more focus on the sustainability of a farm, alongside with its profitability and the validity of a system,” Michael says.
Michael Martin is a researcher at the IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute and KTH Royal Institute of Technology, focusing on sustainability and industrial ecology. Michael has been researching the sustainability of vertical farming systems for a few years now. Currently, he leads a number of projects on the subject, collaborating with many of the Swedish system developers.
Michael Martin
“I think that there’s a discourse used to promote or motivate why vertical farms are there. They’re often related to the reduction of water, transport, and so on, but there are also a large number of critics cherry-picking some of the more obvious potential drawbacks of the systems,” Michael affirms.
Carbon footprint and energy
For impacts related to energy, Michael states that it really depends on where a grower is located. Where energy use is key, for e.g. LED lighting, Northern European countries have great preconditions, with lower carbon energy sources and a supply of district heating. A large share of [district] heating in Northern European countries derives from the incineration of waste and biomass.
Most vertical farms are found in, or in close proximity to, urban areas, in residual spaces, meaning that they have access to heat. However, as these farms have stable ambient temperatures they don’t need much heat, and options for cooling are sometimes more important.
However, sometimes there’s too much excess heat in the building, which then needs cooling. “We have been looking into the interplay of the building and the farming system, plus the synergy of it. ‘What are the possibilities of heating a building with LEDs waste heat?’ There is potential for integrating the systems to the neighborhood so that the residuals, biofertilizers, waste heat and so can all be used to reduce wastes and improve resource efficiency through symbiotic development."
Smart growing and automation
Taking lighting conditions, for instance, by creating the optimal conditions for plants to grow. Typically one recipe is used for lighting and nutrients. But when allowing different optimizations through smart technology, everything can be monitored in terms of nutrients and water, etc. By being hands-on with the growing processes, resource consumption can be reduced.
There are new types of systems that are coming with a greater focus on product-service systems such as FAAS, i.e. selling functions and services instead of products. "I think that in terms of technology we can really make farms more sustainable. Automation and optimization of growing conditions can create large potential resource consumption improvements and optimize growing conditions."
For more information:
IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute and KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Michael Martin
michael.martin@ivl.se
Publication date: Tue 15 Dec 2020
Author: Rebekka Boekhout
© VerticalFarmDaily.com
SINGAPORE: Planting The Seeds For The Future of Farming
Agritech Startup I.F.F.I. Is Injecting
Science And Technology Into Agriculture
Mr. Lim (left) saw a big business opportunity in urban agriculture and its importance in food sustainability. He decided to start I.F.F.I. with Mr. Tham (right), who now heads the subsidiary as its chief executive.
BT PHOTO: YEN MENG JIIN
NELSON Lim, who co-founded an agritech startup in Singapore, likes to joke that his crops are incredibly pampered.
"They have to have the right food and the right water, they 'listen' to music, and they even get 'massaged' with wind from a fan," he said with a laugh.
His company I.F.F.I. intends to lead the charge in precision farming, an approach in agriculture where crops are researched and monitored to receive exactly what they need for optimal growth.
"You can control everything - how hard or soft you want your vegetable to be, the nutrition level, the sweetness level and much more. This is no magic. It's all due to science and technology," he said.
Tech solutions not only help to improve the yield and quality of crops but address the perennial challenge of manpower, which is one of the largest cost factors in urban farming.
At I.F.F.I's indoor showroom in Tuas, a robotic arm performs seeding, transplanting, and vision checks on areas such as seed quality, plant growth, and pre-harvest plant condition.
The company uses the Internet of Things (IoT) software to help with remote monitoring, while a special water treatment system reduces bacteria growth and improves yield rate.
Racks for the crops are also customized to different heights and sizes for precision farming, while a customized light spectrum was designed so that crops are cultivated in an optimum way.
I.F.F.I. was founded a year ago as a subsidiary of TranZplus, a precision machinery and components manufacturer.
TranZplus was one of the main vendors for Panasonic Factory Solutions Asia Pacific (PFSAP), when Panasonic began venturing into indoor farming five to six years ago and needed to manufacture some racks.
It was then that Mr. Lim, who was then TranZplus' chief executive, met Alfred Tham, the deputy general manager of PFSAP's agricultural unit. Mr. Lim saw a big business opportunity in urban agriculture and its importance in food sustainability.
He decided to start I.F.F.I. (which stands for Indoor Farm Factory Innovation) with Mr. Tham, who now heads the subsidiary as its chief executive.
Mega farm with mega ambition
I.F.F.I. was one of only nine urban farms that were offered a total of S$39.4 million in grants by the Singapore Food Agency in August to support local food production.
The company is planning to launch a 38,000 square foot mega indoor farm by the middle of next year. The farm, which is under development at JTC Space @ Tuas, is expected to churn out 800 kg to 1,000 kg of produce per day. It will be able to accommodate about 12 layers of racks for crops, Mr. Tham said.
Mr Lim described the current Covid-19 crisis as a "wake-up call for everyone". With the pandemic sparking concerns over food security and protectionism by food-producing nations, Singapore's ability to rely on local resources has become more important than ever, he said.
The city-state has a "30 by 30" goal to produce 30 percent of nutritional needs locally by 2030. The current figure stands at less than 10 percent.
Vertical indoor farming will be a huge driver of this growth because of its ability to maximize the use of space in land-scarce Singapore, Mr. Lim said.
I.F.F.I's ambitions are not limited to the borders of Singapore. In food-producing countries that are dependent on seasonal crops, the company sees opportunities in helping enterprises and traditional farmers grow their produce indoors under controlled conditions all year round.
The startup's core business model would be to serve as consultants and designers to businesses looking to set up urban farms. It is currently in discussion with three potential clients - one is in traditional farming and looking to automate some processes, another is in the logistics industry and the third is in the marine sector.
In February, I.F.F.I. signed a memorandum of understanding with a manufacturing company in China to set up a joint venture called I.F.F.I. China. The China facility will feature an indoor farm, a salad cafe with produce from the farm, and a gym facility.
The company also has a collaboration with Singapore firm Pure Active Water, which distributes the French patented ActivH2O water treatment technology.
A few investors have already approached I.F.F.I. and shown "great interest", said Mr. Tham. The company is currently in negotiation with them.
Talent and education
One of the company's biggest goals is to spark interest in farming and help drive research in this sector.
"You don't see many people studying hard to try to go into farming," Mr Lim said with a wry smile.
"Can you imagine if we put 'hiring for a farmer' in our job scope? It's a finished game!"
Thankfully, educational institutions have been working closely with the government and private sector to teach youth about the newest farming technologies.
Mr Tham, for instance, is an associate lecturer at Republic Polytechnic for the school's diploma in urban agricultural technology.
I.F.F.I. plans to dedicate a space within its upcoming mega farm for a training and R&D center. The center will host workshops, seminars, institute courses, and research collaborations for crop recipes and farming methods.
A farm-to-table cafe parked next to a cultivation showroom is also in the works, with the aim to let consumers appreciate the value of fresh homegrown indoor crops.
I.F.F.I's parent company TranZplus has about 50 staff, and Mr. Tham, Mr. Lim, and I.F.F.I general manager Dorothy Wong are the key members leading the subsidiary.
As the company expands on its ambitions, I.F.F.I plans to hire 30 to 40 staff, mostly for its mega farm.
"We want to change the mindset of people, and how they look at farming," Mr Tham said. "Farming can also be very sexy!"
Dr. Peter Quinn Appointed As New Chair of CHAP
Peter holds an MBA and BSc(Hons) & Ph.D. in Epigenetics & Microbiology and has published on the importance of nutrition to improve health and wellness in society
Crop Health and Protection (CHAP) one of the four UK Agri-Tech Centres of Innovation, has appointed Dr. Peter Quinn, CEO of Genius Foods, to be its new Non-Executive Chairman, following the retirement, earlier this year, of John Chinn.
Peter brings extensive business leadership experience to the CHAP Board, having held Chief Executive, Managing Director, and Non-Executive Director roles. He has a background in creating enterprise value across a range of complex FMCG brand and private label markets in food and drink, manufacturing and retail, biotech, and agri-tech.
He is currently CEO of Genius Foods and was previously divisional MD of Samworth Brothers. In addition, he holds several NED positions in the Agri-Tech/Produce sector. He is an expert in transformational turnarounds and the creation of growth and value strategies through organizational alignment and ingenuity.
He is also passionate about building business cultures committed to people and has served on the Boards of BITC Charities, dedicated to creating opportunities for disadvantaged young people through education and personal development.
Peter holds an MBA and BSc(Hons) & Ph.D. in Epigenetics & Microbiology and has published on the importance of nutrition to improve health and wellness in society.
As Chairman of CHAP, he is committed to the vital function of science, technology and collaborative innovation to transform UK agriculture and sustainable food production.
CHAP CEO Fraser Black said: “CHAP is experiencing an exciting period of growth and development and Peter is well-placed to help us cement our position at the centre of the UK agritech innovation sector. His commercial, non-profit, and academic experience are a perfect fit for CHAP. I look forward to working with him to ensure CHAP continues to act as a catalyst for innovation in UK agribusiness. This will enable us to achieve our vision of making the UK a global leader in the development of applied agri-technologies, to help secure our future by nourishing a growing population sustainably while delivering economic, environmental and health benefits to society.”
Peter Quinn said: “I am delighted to be appointed to the Board of CHAP as Non-Executive Chairman. There has never been a more critical time to invest in the future of UK agriculture and sustainable food production. CHAP plays a pivotal role in creating world-class innovations through collaborations between scientists, farmers, and industry to transform the productivity of UK agriculture. CHAP is the nexus for new ideas and ingenuity that will deliver agricultural solutions for tomorrow’s world.”
About Crop Health and Protection (CHAP)
Crop Health and Protection (CHAP), funded by Innovate UK, is one of four UK Agri-Tech Centres. CHAP’s vision is for the UK to be a global leader in the development of applied Agri-Technologies, to help secure our future by nourishing a growing population sustainably while delivering economic, environmental and health benefits to society. CHAP acts as a unique, independent nexus between the UK government, researchers, and industry, building innovation networks to identify and accelerate the development of cutting-edge solutions to drive incremental, transformative, and disruptive changes in sustainable crop productivity.
Website: www.chap-solutions.co.uk Twitter: @CHAP_Enquiries
For further information contact:
Darren Hassall (Marketing Manager): darren.hassall@chap-solutions.co.uk
Tel: +44 (0)7866 799152
FarmERP Gears Up For The Future As Top Executives From Cognizant And SAP Join Them
FarmERP’s main focus lies in rigorous technology-intensive transformation of agriculture and agribusinesses, through the latest advancements including the Internet of Agricultural Things, AI, Blockchain and Machine Learning
FarmERP’s main focus lies in rigorous technology-intensive transformation of agriculture and agribusinesses, through the latest advancements including the Internet of Agricultural Things, AI, Blockchain, and Machine Learning. To enable revolutionary ease within the management system, FarmERP welcomed Mr. Abhijeet Dange and Mr. Vikram Metkari on board.
The team at FarmERP recently announced the appointment of Mr. Abhijeet Dange as the Associate Vice President for Delivery at the organization. With vast experience in banking and financial services, learning, and talent development for over 22 years while working for organizations like Cognizant and Silverline, he has immense knowledge about handling large offshore customer engagements.
On his appointment, Mr. Dange quoted, “With the knowledge I possess, I aim to help in maintaining FarmERP’s competitive advantage by effectively aiding the growth of agribusinesses through cutting edge technology platforms.”
Mr. Sanjay Borkar, the CEO of the Indian-grown 2001 brand believes that, apart from being a strong leader with excellent people management skills, with his expertise in streamlining digital IT transformations, Mr. Abhijeet will play a crucial role in uncomplicating complex product management for FarmERP.
The team also welcomed on board Mr. Vikram Metkari as the Head of Sales and Marketing, who shares the same passion that the co-founders of the organization do, for transforming the inner workings of agriculture through the use of tech platforms. Mr. Metkari, an MBA and BE professional with rich work experience in marketing, sales, and business strategy, is a self-motivated and confident leader. He is not only a keen planner and strategist, but also an articulate communicator offering high- caliber presentations, negotiations, and analytical skills.
Mr. Santosh Shinde, the COO of FarmERP believes that Mr. Metkari’s extensive experience of working for various companies- both smaller organizations and world leaders like SAP and Vodafone in the IT & Telecom domain will enable him to guide, innovate, build, and provide value to agribusiness' customers by strengthening FarmERP's existing leadership in the domain.
With the valuable addition of both these members to the team at FarmERP, striving to make a difference and create an impact in these testing times, and the immense experience and culmination of expertise that they bring to the table, the management is now stronger than ever.
FarmERP is a leading smart agriculture management ERP technology platform. It was incepted as a part of Shivrai Technologies more than a decade ago and is currently deployed in 25 countries, assisting a variety of agribusinesses.
FarmERP is a pioneered effort by engineers, classmates, and now partners, Mr. Sanjay Borkar and Mr. Santosh Shinde. Both coming from an agricultural background, they were and are well aware of the toils and troubles that the agricultural sector faces on a daily basis. They turned to technology as a helping hand and as a partner.
Due to the connection, both personal and professional that they have towards the agricultural sector, it makes each individual work that much harder towards achieving the long-term goals they stand for. Aiming at the revolutionizing of the practices the agriculture sector follows as of date, FarmERP strives to make considerable progress in the agri-sectors they work with, while actively trying to incorporate their offerings with additional sectors as well since they are a platform which can accommodate the personality of numerous agribusinesses.