Case Study
WeatherSafe Coffee Agriculture meets big data
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The Company Company Name
Weather Safe Limited
Founders
David Mills, Graham Mills, Francesco Liucci
No. of employees
5
Launched
December 2012
Location
Harwell, Oxfordshire / London
Sector
Agriculture Intelligence Provider Using Satellite Data
The Beginning
A mobile application that alerts Rwandan coffee farmers of differing weather patterns.
In December 2012, the Satellite Applications Catapult held one of its Space Solutions Hackathon* events as part of its aim to nurture innovation within the space industry and to provide a venue for British entrepreneurs to come together, share ideas and help to see them through to commercialisation. During the event, Francesco Liucci, who has a background in international relations and Francesco Liucci and the WeatherSafe Coffee Farmer economics, previously involved in academic Edition App research and start-up projects – joined David Mills, experienced IT manager, and his brother Graham – more than 10 years record as developer and software architect – to develop the WeatherSafe Coffee App as a solution for one of the challenges posed to improve the Rwanda Meteorology Agency website. During the two-day event, they developed the initial prototype-concept of WeatherSafe Coffee, a mobile application to update Rwandan coffee farmers with alerts based on weather information. The WeatherSafe Coffee team won the competition and the project quickly gained momentum by receiving very positive feedback from researchers, commercial and institutional representatives who have welcomed the App.
Coffee is the second most valuable commodity in the world, second only to oil.
Overview WeatherSafe has attracted interest from all areas of the coffee industry from science and Government to major exporters, and has built some key relationships with firms such as Union Hand Roasted Coffee. By leveraging these connections the WeatherSafe team gathered insights into the climate and weather related problems experienced in the coffee market. Humidity, temperature, shading grade, soil moisture together with other environmental factors all contribute to determine the final quality of the coffee. Increasing global pressure exists to develop an agricultural sector more resilient to climate change which is increasing the effects and expanding the areas affected by coffee pests and diseases. Interesting facts gained from their research: • Coffee is the second most valuable commodity in the world second only to oil • I t is estimated that between 10% and 16% of the world’s crops are lost to disease outbreaks
©Stephen Kill/STFC
www.weathersafe.co.uk T: +44 (0) 778 976 2735 E: francesco@weathersafe.co.uk
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• T he life cycle of one of the most devastating coffee diseases, the Coffee Leaf Rust, is up to 10 years. However, precise and timely information of outbreaks’ location and severity, combined with careful farming practices can bring the plants back to a healthy condition in two to three years • R wanda’s coffee export revenue accounted for $60.9m in 2012, £12m deriving from specialty coffee • I n Rwanda, pests and disease, in particular Coffee Leaf Rust, antestia bug and coffee borer, every year reduce coffee yields by up to 50% • Many pests and diseases are stimulated by a change in temperature and humidity • S cientific projections have considered the possibility of coffee production extinction by 2080, due to the climate change’s threats and the narrow genetic diversity of the existing coffee plants
The WeatherSafe Solution
WeatherSafe web based platform utilises a unique predictive model that leverages satellite data.
WeatherSafe is a remote information and management tool with a wide range of applications for agri-food supply chain stakeholders. Their web based platform utilises a unique predictive model that leverages satellite data, expert knowledge and live farm data retrieved directly from targeted areas, and turn them into timely and targeted recommendations delivered to the supply chain players via mobile app. Harvested coffee cherries in Rwanda
WeatherSafe’s mission is to improve agriculture management practices and environmental risk response time. It will help agriculture decision-making and investment planning, improve crops and final products quality, yield and profit throughout the entire value chain, from the farmer to the end-user. WeatherSafe’s initial market focus in the coffee sector in Rwanda in which they will provide a solution for several agricultural issues they face, in particular the coffee pests and diseases damages that can reduce up to 50% of the yield every year.
Providing more accurate weather forecast could increase up to 50% of the Rwandan coffee yield every year.
WeatherSafe Activities to Date December 2012 WeatherSafe was announced winners of the Catapult Hackathon and very quickly became a start-up organisation to provide coffee farmers with a weather-warning device. The team presented the initial prototype app at European Space Conference in London. Positive feedback from researchers, commercial and institutional representatives welcomed the project. The team was invited to work with the Catapult who provided support toward the development of the business plan and strategy. February 2013 Weather Safe Ltd and Weather Safe Coffee Ltd were incorporated and the first prototype developed. Francesco was invited to join the Catapult as a business innovation analyst to help coordinate its programme designed to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
WeatherSafe Coffee
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WeatherSafe showcased its prototype at a conference in Kigali, Rwanda in November 2013.
WeatherSafe Activities to Date – continued February 2013 Satellite Applications Catapult provided WeatherSafe with technical expertise and data and helped them to organise some initial workshops with experts in satellite technology and Earth observation. Intense research activates were undertaken by the WeatherSafe team together with agronomists, plant pathologists and coffee experts. April 2013 WeatherSafe visited Rwanda (Francesco Liucci) to understand better the local reality and engage with local coffee supply chain stakeholders and Government representatives. WeatherSafe visited Guatemala (David Mills) and attended the Coffee Leaf Rust Emergency Conference, engaging with coffee experts and Governmental representatives. These trips provided the team with a clearer vision of the direction the software needed to take and the future development. May 2013 Launch of the WeatherSafe website and branding. June 2013 WeatherSafe appeared in an article on the Times Business as innovative start-up within the Harwell Space Cluster. Francesco Liucci was interviewed by BBC Oxford for the TV programme ‘Sunday Politics’. WeatherSafe was awarded with the Technology Strategy Board Harwell Space Launchpad Award, worth £89,000 of funding, to be ‘unlocked’ with private investment. WeatherSafe was the winner of the Venturefest Pitch Competition. August 2013 WeatherSafe is accepted by the European Space Agency Business Incubation Centre (BIC) which will provide support the further R&D development of the company. November 2013 First fully functional prototype of the WeatherSafe Coffee software completed. WeatherSafe showcased the prototype at the ICT4Ag Conference in Kigali, Rwanda. Padraig Dowd, independent executive with more than 30 years of experience in the satellite industry, joined the WeatherSafe Board of Directors. February 2014 WeatherSafe appears on the Technology Strategy Board website in the Success Story section.
Electron Building Fermi Avenue Harwell Oxford Didcot Oxfordshire, OX11 0QR For more information: T: +44 (0)1235 567 999 W: sa.catapult.org.uk E: info@sa.catapult.org.uk @SatAppsCatapult
March 2014 WeatherSafe sponsored the Coffee Research Symposium in Kigali, Rwanda, organized by the Rwandan Ministry of Agriculture and focused on the regional coffee pests and diseases issue. WeatherSafe had a keynote speaker session to present its solutions for the coffee sector. The European Space Agency international website published an article on WeatherSafe latest developments. Q3/Q4 2014 Parallel launch of WeatherSafe Coffee Rwanda and beginning trials in Central America.
Satellite Applications Catapult Ltd is an independent technology and innovation company. It is one of a network of elite centres established by the Technology Strategy Board to accelerate the take up of emerging technologies and drive economic growth. The Satellite Applications Catapult is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Company Registration Number 07964746. Registered office: Electron Building, Fermi Avenue, Harwell Oxford, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 0QR, UK.