The new partnership will enable the integration of OCMIS machines and the xFarm platform. Field trials will begin in spring 2024.
The aim is to offer a tangible solution in major European markets, starting with the next irrigation season xFarm Technologies - the tech company targeting the digitization of the agribusiness sector - and OCMIS - an Italian enterprise specialized in the production and marketing of advanced irrigation systems for agricultural and green spaces - today announced a new partnership. The aim of the transaction will be to integrate the OCMIS equipment with the xFarm platform, for increasingly intelligent and efficient machinery.
The test will involve selected pilot farms and will be implemented in spring 2024. The aim is to release the prototype as soon as possible onto the main European markets, to offer a tangible solution from next irrigation season onwards.
“The efficient use of water reserves is a major challenge for agriculture today. Seventy percent of the water on our planet is used for agriculture. This is a pressing issue, and 4.0 technologies – combined with a renewed awareness throughout the industry – can actually make a difference. This is why we have decided to combine our technical know-how with the extensive experience of OCMIS, to develop a system that enables an efficient daily use of this precious resource and brings both economic and environmental benefits, both in the short and long term,” stated Matteo Cunial, Chief Revenues Officer & Co-Founder of xFarm Technologies.
“Our daily challenge is to evolve so we can build precision irrigation systems that reduce water wastage, by combining effectiveness and efficiency. This partnership with xFarm Technologies will enable the development of digital services that will allow us to improve work in the field, optimise resources, increase productivity and provide data on water savings, which are fundamental for financing innovation projects, as a result of accessing dedicated funding. Thanks to the know-how that has distinguished it for almost 50 years, the OCMIS Group is constantly working to project the agricultural sector towards a more sustainable future.” commented Francesco Villani, CEO of OCMIS.
Irrigation 4.0: environmental and economic sustainability Long periods of drought, alternating with extreme rainfall events, make a new approach to water resource management increasingly necessary. Italy, in particular, is exposed to floods and droughts due to its geo-morphology and climate; this is why irrigation management needs to be implemented with increasing awareness and a preventive approach. OCMIS irrigation machines, such as Pivot and linear systems, and hose reels, will be able to communicate with the xFarm platform. Thanks to the irrigation module, the Irrigation DSS developed by xFarm Technologies, the integrated OCMIS machines will be able to receive and implement irrigation advice that saves considerable amounts of water. Initially, the recommendations will be based on data provided by sensors in the field, and then, later on they will be calculated based on the integration of information from sensors with information from satellite images, which will allow water stress indices to be calculated. In this way, irrigation machines will have the necessary information to irrigate where needed and with the right amount of water, with the aim of reducing waste while optimizing plant growth and increasing the profitability of agricultural production.
The aim of the partnership is to make the irrigation advice, achieved as a result of the integration, available to customers in time for the 2024 irrigation season, immediately after the final testing phase has been completed.
xFarm Technologies. xFarm is a tech company that aims to digitalise the agribusiness sector, providing innovative tools that can support agricultural entrepreneurs and stakeholders in managing their businesses. xFarm Technologies today supports the work of 300,000 farms, belonging to more than 50 supply chains and covering 3 million hectares in more than 100 countries around the world.
Ocmis. Ocmis is the world’s leading manufacturer of state-ofthe- art irrigation systems for agriculture and green spaces. It designs and manufactures irrigation machines and is globally recognised for its self-propelled irrigation machines known as «hose reels». This Italian enterprise is the first company to identify the real needs of the farmers. Year after year, it has seen its efforts, in terms of investment and strategic choices, rewarded by an ever-increasing number of its systems being distributed throughout the world.
Press contact:
Riccardo De Nadai, (Communications Manager)
riccardo.denadai@xfarm.ag
