ADVANCES IN RURAL – PROJECT FOR THE PROMOTION OF SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY

This start-up offers solutions based on Artificial Intelligence to small and medium-sized farmers to optimize their crops. By integrating advanced data analytics, it empowers farmers to make informed decisions, improve yields, and reduce waste. For an interesting parallel in another field, A Gambler’s Crypto Journey highlights how technology and strategy intersect in the dynamic world of cryptocurrency, demonstrating the transformative power of innovation across diverse industries.

Drones used by WEITEC for crop inspection

Weitec is an innovative company that was born with the idea of ​​offering precision agriculture to small and medium-sized farms.

With drones and sensors they monitor the land and make recommendations for the use of crops. Until now this was only within the reach of large agri-food companies.

Behind this innovative project is Mario Quesada.

Mario Quesada, CEO of the company

QUESTION: Mario, Weitec provides the agricultural sector with solutions based on innovation and technology for better optimization. What are these solutions?

ANSWER: We have been working with the administration and different companies for two years to be able to remotely pilot drones capable of capturing, for example, the levels of water stress in the plantation or the percentage of chlorophyll, which gives us clues about the health of the crops, and we can even warn of possible pests. These are innovative and expensive services that today only large agri-food companies can afford, but we can make them accessible to small and medium-sized farmers.

SDG 9: WEITEC has set out to bring innovative solutions to small and medium-sized farms, at a competitive price

P: What advantages do your systems have?

A: Today there are already companies with these services but for large farms. Our niche is farms of between one and five hectares, a size that corresponds to the vast majority of state land.

Small and medium-sized farmers have not implemented technology because they have not been able to, it is very expensive for their business model. So part of our study was to find out how much the client was willing to pay for that technology, from there we looked for tools so that the economic part is not a problem. We currently have five thousand hectares contracted to start working.

Q: At what stage is your venture?

A: We are at an early stage, in fact we have recently closed the investment round. We already had the technological part implemented and we lacked the capital. During these two years we have dedicated ourselves to making the relevant reports and validating the legal and technological part.

SDG 8 and 9: Among the start-up’s workers there is an IT expert, information technology in scenarios of great uncertainty, and an agricultural engineer specialized in remote sensing.

Q: What profiles are part of WEITEC?

A: Currently we are four people working and we have the collaboration of two external profiles. I am a technical architect but I have dedicated myself to retail, and I am also a farmer. The head of technology has 20 years of experience in IT, information technology in highly uncertain scenarios. Then we have our pilot and head of operations, who has managed the entire permitting part of remote flights. Finally we have an agricultural engineer specialised in remote sensing. The external people are the business angels, one is in charge of the design and international business strategy and the other person is the lawyer specialised in tax law.

Part of the WEITEC team

P: Who is your end customer?

A: Our end customer is the agricultural engineer who works for these farmers and who cannot personally go to the site or farm every day. This engineer works for agricultural management companies or the industrial sector, or also for phytosanitary product companies that need to monitor what happens outside their laboratories.

P: Let’s talk about your project, what motivated you to start the activity?

A: I am a person with a restless mind. I have always loved playing with machines and repairing them. I did a Master’s in Business Administration and have developed two utility models. I always have the question of why in mind.

In 2021 I realise that my family, which is dedicated to agriculture, is getting older and that I am going to have to get involved. I do not have the knowledge of my parents and grandparents, but I do understand technology and I know that there are cutting-edge systems managed by sensors and drones that can help me manage farms, specifically, they can tell me what a crop needs or what is happening to another, and that is when I get down to work.

At that moment I realise that there is no solution on the market for small farmers and that my problem is not only mine, it is the problem of all agricultural producers in the Vega Baja. I had found a need. That is how we created WEITEC.

Digital control of plots

P: Does being in a rural environment make you less competitive?

A: Being rural allows you to be more productive and to be more productive.