CNH Supported Nuffield Study To Explore Potential of AI for Agriculture Industry

Case IH and parent company, CNH, had their labs and equipment used in a study to promote AI use in the agriculture industry. 

The impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is dominating conversations around the globe, and the agriculture sector is no different, with the main questions around what it means for the industry and how it can be used to the greatest effect.

Katrina 'Treen' Swift is a 2024 Nuffield Scholar, who is focusing on the advantages AI could introduce to grain-growing operations into the future. With farm and landscape-level sustainability data of increasing interest across the supply chain, Treen says she can see enormous potential in using AI to analyse this data to improve management of natural capital, inputs and operations and provide time-saving benefits to growers.

“Why aren't we talking about how AI is going to benefit our businesses, whether it's as simple as using number plate recognition when we're managing trucks coming in for deliveries, or the machinery space and what brands like Case IH are doing - I wanted to learn more.”

She had her chance at the United Nations’ Committee on World Food Security (CFS) event in Italy late last year where she met Luca Ferrari, the Global Manager of Robotics for Case IH’s parent company CNH. Luca invited her to visit CNH’s labs in Modena, where so much of the company’s technology is developed.

“It was a fascinating experience,” she said, and opened her eyes to the progress being made in machinery and the potential for AI to assist farmers in managing the increasingly complex regulatory space, particularly with regards to emissions and environmental impacts.

“Looking more at practices that are less reliant on chemical use is one area where there is a lot of interest in Europe at present, and I can certainly see a role for AI in this space. Emissions reduction is another area of global focus and with so much data around it, the average farmer will need help in processing this.”

Treen’s visit to the CNH labs in Italy also gave her a new appreciation for the increasingly sophisticated machinery being developed by brands like Case IH, an appreciation she found of value when her family farming business had the unique opportunity to trial two new Case IH AF Series combines late last year.

“By harnessing AI’s capabilities for applications within our industry, we have so much to gain with increased productivity, and better-informed decision-making from an economic and environmental perspective. This will help reinforce our competitiveness on the global stage and drive greater sustainability to ensure we can be proud of what we’re leaving for future generations of farmers,” she said.

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