Yara acquires crop water sensor firm ZIM Plant Technology

Norway based chemical company Yara has acquired German water sensor company ZIM Plant Technology to improve its agricultural water use efficiency.

ZIM Plant Technology’s product allows for reduced water consumption, increased yields and improved crop quality. The water precision tool will be integrated with Yara’s knowledge about the precise application of water-soluble and liquid fertiliser.

Yara downstream head Egil Hogna said: "This is a strategic step for Yara into a new segment of the precision farming business, and it is also a response to our ‘creating impact’ strategy of addressing resource scarcity."

The availability of freshwater is expected to become a major global challenge in the future. Agriculture currently uses around 70% of freshwater withdrawals, and if water use efficiency is not improved, by 2030 this sector alone will require more water than is sustainably available.

ZIM Plant Technology’s product is mostly used in high-precision irrigation systems to improve yields and water use efficiency. It reduces water usage by 20%, which will save 300 million cubic metres to 500 million cubic metres of water per year. Yara expects to sell over 50,000 sensor systems over the next ten years.

Yara downstream new business director Hans Goossens said that while this is a modest increase in sales volume for the company overall, it is an important first step into combining water and fertiliser management through high-tech solutions.

"With documented increases in resource use efficiency, this will become increasingly attractive in water-scarce regions," Goossens added.

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Image: Yara expects to sell over 50,000 sensor systems over the next 10 years. Photo: Courtesy of Yara.