Dramm will use Ketos’ solution to bring real-time water monitoring technology for farmers, helping them improve crop yield, quality and taste
Image: Dramm to use Ketos’ water monitoring technology. Photo: Courtesy of WikimediaImages/Pixabay
Ketos, a developer of water monitoring technology, and Dramm have formed a strategic partnership to support farmers across the US and Canada by offering real-time groundwater quality monitoring.
Dramm will use Ketos’ water monitoring solutions to provide farmers with mission-critical water data to help improve crop yield, quality and taste. The solutions are expected to help understand the correlation between water quality and food safety.
Ketos empowers farmers with intelligence on crop tolerance by providing them with insights on the fluctuations of water quality in terms of deficiency and toxicity.
As per the USDA, agriculture accounts for nearly 80% of ground and surface water consumption in the US. But, several farmers are not aware of what is in the water they are using at any given point of time.
Dramm will use Ketos’ Shield solution to proactively test and monitor water for potential contaminants and verify the quality and safety of the irrigation water being supplied to its customers.
Ketos’ solution provides continuous, lab-precision testing data, serving as an advanced warning system to growers, if for example, heavy-metal compounds or contaminants are present such as arsenic, boron, nitrates, and other elements that could lower crop yield or pose a food security threat.
Initially, Dramm will pilot the technology at several greenhouses in the US
During the initial phase of the partnership, the two companies will focus on water quality solutions for horticulture, ornamentals and greenhouse speciality crops.
Dramm will test the Ketos Shield solution at several North American greenhouses. During the trial, it will work with facilities with vegetable, ornamental and medicinal crops to identify the specific needs of these customers and showcase the impact that real-time water quality data can have on their crops.
Ketos CEO Meena Sankaran said: “With agriculture’s reliance on groundwater steadily rising, water quality and food safety must go hand-in-hand. Food quality and food safety needs to start at the source – the water used to grow the crops.
“By partnering with Dramm to provide growers an easy way to actively monitor and measure possible water pollutants in real-time, KETOS is helping accelerate data-driven farming by providing actionable insights that can enhance crop yield. Ultimately, our common goal is to enable the delivery of safer food by creating a thriving food supply chain.”