Can agriculture be redesigned to be a climate solution? | A.J. (Ashok) Kumar | TEDxBoston

Bad news: Conventional agriculture is currently a huge contributor to greenhouse emissions. Good news: Responsible agriculture practices can reverse this and actually remove and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

That makes agriculture one of the single greatest levers we have to rapidly address emissions at gigaton scale. The answer is right under the farmer's feet. The key is in the soil. Plants inherent nature is to capture carbon dioxide and use it as building blocks to grow.

Healthy, restored soils produce better yield, retain more water, and make lands more resilient. More crops with less water and less risk? Sounds like a no-brainer for commercial growers. But, implementing these systems incorrectly comes with costs and risks.

Learn how tech company Indigo Ag is working with a combination of modern satellite imaging, sensors, and machine learning (paired with ancient sustainable growing practices) to create models that inform and empower farmers. Their proven suite of tools helps growers make the best decisions for their land in real time, and further, create the incentive structures that pays for the measurable carbon storage capacity of their land.
A.J.'s goal is to harness science and technology to address issues of human welfare ranging from affordable healthcare to sustainable agriculture. In his role as VP of Sustainability Sciences at Indigo Ag, he focuses on leveraging data and proven practices to help the agriculture industry make better decision and harness the power of the soil to capture carbon at gigaton scale. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx