WATCH: Israel's innovative technology for farmers

Israel is leading the race to enhance the future of its farmers with the help of its cutting-edge technology to assist farmers in adapting as climate change and population growth present ever greater challenges for agriculture.

Recently, a Start-Up Nation Central report listed over 500 agri-tech companies in Israel, with demand for Israeli technology and expertise. 

Shmuel Friedman, CEO of Green Wadi, a consulting firm, believes Israel's agricultural experience and innovative tech sector produce numerous technologies that can support farmers in the future.

According to him, one of the biggest challenges facing agriculture is a lack of people willing to work in the field. 

"You need alternatives, whether in the form of robots or machines that can replace working hands," said Friedman.

However, Tevel, a company that uses drones to pick fruit from trees, was founded and is headed by Yanir Maor.

AFP reported that Maor's conclusion, more than a decade ago, was that there were not enough people to pick fruit and that there would be even fewer in the future. At the same time, crops would increase, leading to more people and more consumption. Robotics, therefore, was the solution.

Tevel's system entails eight drones connected to a platform that uses AI and machine vision to analyse images of the fruit fed by their cameras.

The technology is in use in Israel, the United States, Italy, and Chile and works on over 40 different types of fruit. The system is completely autonomous, from the decision on whether to pick the fruit and its colour to how to reach it and detach it. 

Farmers have praised the technology, saying the potential of technologies boosting their "primitive" field of work is unfathomable.

Moreover, BloomX, an Israeli company, uses algorithms to predict the optimal time for pollination to maximise its efficacy. 

Founder and CEO Thai Sade said that such artificial pollination can help boost crop yields to feed the world's growing population. 

Ofri Yongrman Sela, who oversees avocado, wheat, and persimmon production at the Eyal kibbutz, said that of all the unknowns in his line of work, pollination is the "most difficult" to manage. 

Additionally, using BloomX's technology alongside bees has raised yields by up to 40%. 

The firm's artificial pollination is an attempt to deal with many of the problems faced today, which are expected to worsen in the future. These problems include the shortage of pollinating insects and the risks global warming poses to them.

Meanwhile, BloomX's technology offers a cost-effective way to make better use of existing orchards, as planting a new one is much more expensive. It is an example of Israeli innovation in agriculture that can help feed the world's growing population.

Sela, who has worked as a farmer for over a decade, has noticed the rapid changes his sector has undergone. Agriculture is now supported by sensors that measure soil parameters, drones, and big data, he said, adding that "technology has entered every corner".