Assessing the risk of frost for high-value crops

A platform can model the risk of frost for microclimates on vineyards and orchards, helping prevent loss and damage

Spotted: Research has shown that frost is a “significant weather event” that has a direct impact on crop growth, which, in turn, has a substantial impact on yield and profits. However, it can be more difficult to predict frost than some other weather phenomenon, such as rain, due to the effects of microclimates and local terrain. Uruguayan company The Climate Box has developed a product that assesses the risk of frost for orchards and vineyards and can tailor passive and active frost protection measures for individual microclimates.

The system uses temperature data loggers placed at strategic locations around a farm. Following a calibration period, Climate Box utilises algorithms that take local topography into account to develop a model of the frost risk for each microclimate.

Using the numerical modelling of cold air flows, the company then offers actionable products for agriculturalists, such as microclimatic maps and frost risk assessments. The data is also used to generate recommendations for siting new farms, and potential frost control measures. Founded in 2019, the company has already analysed more than 60,000 hectares of land across Europe, the US, Mexico, Australia, and Uruguay.

The Climate Box recently closed an investment round led by The Yield Lab Latam, with the participation of the Spanish agribusiness investment group Label Investments and another angel investor.

Managing food production in the face of growing climate uncertainty and changing weather patterns is vital – and getting harder. This is why Springwise has spotted a growing number of solutions. Recent innovations in this sector range from the use of vertical farming to produce more crops, to boosting yields through the use of plant hormones that reduce stress.

Written By: Lisa Magloff