CES 2025: Sustainable Farming Enters A New Era With AI And Agritech Solutions

CES 25

There’s an emerging wave in the approach to farming all around the world, and it’s very evident at CES 2025.

The convention floor this year offers a compelling look at how agritech companies worldwide are embracing artificial intelligence to transform farming efficiency. Among the nations represented, South Korea stands out as a leader, making a strategic push to captivate younger generations with cutting-edge agricultural innovations. By integrating AI, robotics, and automation into vertical farming, South Korea is not only revolutionising urban agriculture but also paving the way for climate-resilient farming systems.

AI’s role in these innovations is significant, enabling the collection of vast amounts of data to reduce human error and streamline operations. Here are four companies making waves in agritech with groundbreaking solutions:

Airfarm: Inflatable Vertical Farming Reimagined
For the second consecutive year, Airfarm has earned a CES Innovation Award, this time in the food and agricultural technology category. Created by South Korean company Midbar, the inflatable aeroponic farm is available in two sizes: a 10-foot model for education, research, and home use, and a larger 20-foot version designed for commercial crop production. The farm is delivered deflated, inflates within hours, and is ready for cultivation immediately.

Sein Kwon, Midbar’s head of business, explains that the company’s name, “Midbar,” means “desert” in Hebrew, reflecting its mission to enable farming in inhospitable climates. Initial tests in Abu Dhabi highlight its potential impact in arid regions. Airfarm employs a nozzle system that sprays nutrient-rich mist onto plant roots, reducing water usage by 90% compared to other vertical farms. Aeroponic techniques enhance root respiration, while AI-driven controls adjust temperature, humidity, and other variables for optimal growth.

Airfarm’s ability to simulate any climate year-round enables multiple harvests annually, making it a key solution for areas increasingly affected by climate change. Midbar is expanding into colder regions, including the US, where traditional farming is more challenging.

Urban Ponics: The Power of “Mist Ponics”
Dutch innovators Laurens and Johannes Trebes, inspired by two decades in Venezuela, have created Urban Ponics, a semi-controlled aeroponic system that mimics the rainforest canopy’s mist. Their proprietary “mist ponics” technology uses nutrient-dense mist derived from minerals like those found in Utah’s Great Salt Lake, with sodium chloride removed to enhance plant growth.

Urban Ponics is particularly suited for arid and tropical climates. While it relies on natural sunlight, it also gathers ecosystem data to refine misting conditions. Unlike fully enclosed vertical farms, Urban Ponics uses less energy, offering an eco-friendly solution for urban agriculture. Farmers purchasing the system receive both the container and the nutrient solution, enabling them to grow a diverse range of crops even in extreme environments.

Rowain: AI-Powered “Intellifarm” for Urban Agriculture
South Korean startup Rowain is revolutionising agriculture with its “Intellifarm,” an AI-driven hydroponic vertical farming system. Currently focused on growing lettuce, the system can grow other crops in the future, thanks to its precisely controlled environment. AI manages every aspect, from uploading two tons of lettuce to optimising nutrient delivery. Fans ensure airflow, and CO₂ tubes regulate atmospheric conditions on each level.

Founder and CEO Lee Kyeongha, who holds a PhD in robotics, envisions Rowain as a solution to the labour shortages plaguing traditional farming. By minimising human interaction, the system reduces contamination risks, mitigates food recalls, and cuts waste. Lee believes this low-interaction approach, paired with urban accessibility, could attract younger generations to agriculture without requiring them to relocate or inherit extensive farming expertise.

Rowain is poised for growth, with plans to introduce an AI-driven video surveillance system to monitor crops remotely, ensuring even greater scalability and efficiency.

Nanomik: Nature-Enhanced Crop Protection
Turkish company Nanomik is tackling crop protection with a novel biocapsulation system. This proprietary technology binds natural oils—such as thyme, tea tree, and orange oils—into microcapsules that can be sprayed onto plants. The encapsulation stabilises the oils and ensures adherence, even in rainy conditions, while enhancing absorption.

Nanomik’s innovation allows farmers to harness the protective properties of natural oils, offering an eco-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides. With its focus on sustainability, the company’s technology exemplifies how agritech can balance productivity with environmental responsibility.

As these companies demonstrate, AI and advanced technologies are reshaping agriculture to meet global challenges. From enabling year-round farming in any climate to reducing water usage and eliminating human errors, these innovations point to a future where farming is smarter, more efficient, and more accessible to new generations. South Korea, in particular, is positioning itself as a leader in this agritech revolution, proving that the intersection of technology and sustainability is the key to feeding a growing world population.

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