And the winner is...
‘Target Y - Harvest maps for all’ is the name of the winning entry in SLU Skara and Sparbanken Skaraborg’s first innovation award.
The theme of the award is ‘Sustainability in green industries’, and was presented by Swedbank’s chairman Göran Persson on Wednesday, 29 September at a ceremony in Smedjan at SLU’s campus in Skara. Target Y is seen as having huge potential in contributing to better economic sustainability for farmers while at the same time having positive effects on both the environment and climate. Mats Söderström, SLU researcher in precision cultivation, was delighted to accept 75,000 Swedish kronor on behalf of the project.
“Our service will make it possible for individual farmers to produce maps on how the harvest varies within a crop field. With the help of these maps, satellite data and GPS technology, site-specific interventions such as fertilisation or liming can be carried out even more efficiently using amounts tailored to the corresponding location. This will be resource-efficient, as it not only involves greater consideration of the environment, but also produces a more bountiful harvest. So far, the model works for wheat and barley, which are both important crops, in Sweden as well as in the rest of the world. Owing to the fact the service can be made accessible to a large amount of people at a low cost, it has the opportunity to have an impact not only locally, but also nationally and even internationally. This is fantastic and testament to the fact that our research activities are contributing to resource-efficient agriculture!”
Göran Persson, Swedbank’s chairman, was the keynote speaker and presenter of the SLU Skara and Sparbanken Skaraborg’s Innovation Award 2021 and Growth Award 2021. Photo: Frida Carlsson
Growth Award
The Growth Award of 25,000 Swedish kronor was awarded to the project ‘Goati - Supervision and analysis of grazing animals’ for its contribution to simplified animal supervision along with better animal health, while also lowering costs for farmers and, in the long run, helping to increase biodiversity.
Erik Öhlund is a civil engineer, son of a farmer and a former elite orienteer, and, together with Viktor Andersson, he runs the startup Svarta Räven, which is behind Goati.
“The idea for Goati came about when I was competing in high-intensity orienteering competitions. Imagine if you could use modern orienteering technology to track the location and health status of grazing livestock. This proved to be entirely possible with the help of GPS sensors, which can show both the animal’s position and provide health insights. Once the product is ready and launched onto the market it will simplify and give peace of mind to many Swedish and international farmers.”
Innovation seminar
In addition to handing out awards, Göran Persson gave a personal, well-received lecture on his ideas for future green nutrition. Persson provided a global picture of the geopolitical situation and what it may entail for forestry and agriculture. He also weighed in on the importance of sustainable innovations within green nutrition, emphasising that research by the likes of SLU is key to making it happen.
“It has been a fascinating afternoon in Skara. Thanks to these innovative researchers and entrepreneurs the future feels hopeful. I have also come away with a whole lot to think about with regards to my own farm,” says Göran Persson.
The seminar ended with a panel discussion with the heading ‘How can we facilitate new, sustainable innovations from SLU?’, which featured prize winners Mats Söderström and Erik Öhlund, as well as SLU’s vice-chancellor Maria Knutson Wedel, Lantmännen’s research and innovation director Peter Annas, the Agricultural Society’s CEO in Halland, Annika Bergman, and Sparbanken Skaraborg’s CEO Patrik Meijer. The panel agreed to work to promote multi-disciplinary collaboration, so that we will be able to see more contributions and equally interesting award winners at future innovation award events.
Sparbanken regional branch innovation awards
To contribute to new thinking and innovations in the forestry and food chains, Sparbanken Skåne, Sparbanken Skaraborg and Sparbankensstiftelse Norrland, together with SLU, have created various innovation awards in order to promote research in this area. Sparbanken Skåne awarded its prize for the first time in 2020. This year, 2021, the Sparbanken foundations are making regional investments in Skåne, Skaraborg and Umeå.
Read more about the SLU Skara and Sparbanken Skaraborg Innovation Award 2021
Contact: SLU Skara och Sparbanken Skaraborgs Innovationspris
Mats Wiktorsson, senior innovations and business advisor SLU Holding
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +46 (0)72 209 66 03
Erik Brink, Sparbanksstiftelsen Skaraborg
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +46 (0)70 600 45 48
Images may be used for editorial purposes
