FarmSense, a pioneer in real-time agricultural pest monitoring and classification technology, has been named winner of the New Product Development category in Saudi Arabia’s annual National Center for Palms & Dates (NCPD) International Prize event. The accolade, which “aims to provide opportunities to bring exciting new scientific, technical, and innovative advances in the palm and date sectors by individuals and entities across the world” [source], was presented in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, by His Excellency the Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Eng. Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli.
The competition drew 171 entries from 31 countries, highlighting innovative solutions designed to advance the global date palm industry. At the event, FarmSense Co-Founder, CSO, and University of California, Riverside Distinguished Professor, Dr. Eamonn Keogh presented “Seeing Insect Pest Control as an Information Problem,” showcasing the groundbreaking technology that secured FarmSense’s win in the New Product Development category, which included a $100,000 prize and recognition for its transformative approach to real-time pest monitoring and classification.
“This recognition from the National Center for Palms & Dates illustrates the transformative potential of FarmSense’s FlightSensor technology to address critical challenges in agriculture,” said Dr. Keogh of FarmSense. “By reimagining insect pest control as an information-driven process, we are empowering growers with the real-time, actionable data they need to protect their crops more efficiently and sustainably. Winning this award is both an honor and a testament to the global impact of innovative solutions in agriculture.”
The date palm holds profound commercial and cultural significance in Saudi Arabia, but its productivity has been increasingly threatened by insect pests. Current pest monitoring methods rely on manual inspection of mechanical traps (i.e., “sticky” traps), which are often costly, labor-intensive, and prone to delays in data collection. FarmSense’s innovative FlightSensor technology directly addresses these challenges. The system utilizes patented technology, computational entomology, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to attract, count, and classify insects down to the species, sex, and life stage. By providing growers with real-time, precise data, this technology enables more timely and targeted pest management decisions.
Already proven effective in tree nut farming in the United States, FarmSense’s FlightSensor application to date palm cultivation could represent a transformative shift for growers in the region and beyond.
