Labour shortages have inspired innovators, with a number of entrants in the 2021 Fieldays Innovations Awards aimed at solving the challenge. The Innovations Hub is brimming with entrants largely aimed at making farmers lives easier.
“We have a number of entries utilising robotics, including Zespri and two from Waikato University,” Fieldays innovations event manager Gail Hendricks says.
“People are seeing the need for robotics due to labour shortages, as well as other innovations focused around helping farmers and growers streamline processes.
“The changing landscape has seen a shift away from apps this round, with strong support for Internet of Things (IoT) and connectivity related innovations.”
Hendricks and the team have been working hard to encourage all industries to be represented in the Fieldays Innovation Awards, which has proved fruitful.
“We identify great innovations through our partnerships and networks. Not many first-time entrants enter without some encouragement; people need to feel their innovation is worthy and be comfortable to give it a go, she says.
“Sometimes it’s a resource issue or not having enough time to be ready. Or sometimes they don’t have the ability to manage two sites, but we try to help wherever we can.
“We want to ensure innovations coming out of Fieldays are of high value and a possibility of moving forward, New Zealand innovations have great opportunities on the global stage.”
They have regular repeat entrants, including 2019 exhibitors RiverWatch who are moving into the next stage with their concept, which is described as a health monitor for waterways.
Halter is also on board with their solar-powered smart collars, which have gone commercial, and Donaghys have entered their world-first sheep spot-on product.
“It’s exciting to see what comes through the hub; both St Paul’s and St Peter’s schools have some entries this year too,” she says.
The hub itself has had a revamp this year, building the story of the innovation journey. Starting from a prototype and moving into the early commercialisation stage and onto the growth and scale stage. Entrants will be grouped in their categories from the backyard invention to manufacturing and onto the global scale.
Judging for the $50,000 prize pool takes place on the Wednesday of Fieldays, and the awards ceremony is being held on Thursday evening for the first time.
Be sure to head along to the innovations hub to view the entrants and catch a glimpse of the future of the primary sector.
