A innovative firm that uses acoustic technology and environmental sensors to assess the activity of pollinating insects has secured £75,000 funding to trial its technology.
York's AgriSound has won the backing of Tesco and WWF to implement its process with one of the supermarket's fruit suppliers based in Cambridgeshire. Using its bio-acoustic listening devices called Polly, the firm can detect insects and give growers data that allows them to make decisions that can increase the yield of crops, reduce costs and improve biodiversity.
As part of the Innovation Connections accelerator programme, AgriSound's trial in AM Fresh's fruit orchards is part of a wider ambition to reduce the environmental impact of food production and enhance the resilience of the food supply chain. The programme pairs start-ups with Tesco suppliers in a bid to fast-track innovation.
