PepsiCo is to roll out its i-crop farming technology -- a web-based crop management system that allows famers to monitor, manage and reduce their water use and carbon emissions while maximising their potential yield.
The i-crop ‘precision farming’ technology measures the inputs and outputs of farming, producing precise data that allows growers to make informed decisions about when to irrigate crops and how much water to use.
Data is combined from soil-moisture probes in the fields and local weather stations. Growers can access this information online and then make decisions about how much water to add to their crops. The technology was developed in partnership with Cambridge University Farms.
Trials of i-crop have been taking place at 22 farms in the UK, but the technology will be rolled out in Europe next year and then to the US, India, China, Mexico and Australia by 2012. Farmers have reported good results in the initial monitoring stage, with some achieving around 90% efficiency for water usage.
The move is part of the company’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions and water usage by 50 percent across the farming of its core crops in the next five years.
The company is also testing the ‘Cool Farm Tool’, a carbon calculator developed by the University of Aberdeen. The PC platform measures on-farm carbon emissions and allows growers to model different ‘what-if’ scenarios.
Farmers must input data relating to machinery used, fertiliser and water applied, diesel and electricity consumers. Once the carbon emissions are measured, it allows for reduction measures to be identified.
PepsiCo is the UK’s largest buyer of British potatoes (which it uses to create Walkers crisps) and one of the largest purchasers of British oats and apples, which it uses in Copella English Apple juice, Quaker Oats, Oatso Simple and Scott’s Porridge.