Four teams make the cut for finals of Pinduoduo’s Smart Agriculture Competition

Rhea-AI Summary

On September 22, 2021, Pinduoduo announced the final four teams selected for its Smart Agriculture Competition, focusing on innovative tomato cultivation at its Yunnan greenhouse base. The teams, chosen from 15 finalists, will implement their proposals over six months, emphasizing yield, nutritional value, and sustainability. Over 120 researchers from top institutions were considered, promoting youth involvement in agriculture. This competition highlights Pinduoduo's commitment to modernizing agriculture through technology and is part of its broader '10 Billion Agriculture Initiative' aimed at addressing critical agricultural needs.

Positive

• Selection of four innovative teams to implement horticultural proposals at the Yunnan greenhouse.
• Focus on youth involvement in agriculture to foster new talent and modernization.
• Collaboration with leading universities and agritech companies boosts credibility.
• Part of Pinduoduo's broader initiative to enhance agricultural technology and support rural areas.

Negative

• None.

SHANGHAI, China, Sept. 22, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Four teams with cross-disciplinary expertise in agronomy and computer algorithms were selected for the final round of Pinduoduo’s Smart Agriculture Competition after two days of judging by an international panel of experts.

Hamato, TomaGrow, HortiAI and CyberTomato were chosen out of the 15 teams shortlisted for the initial round of presentations last week. The four teams, with 80% of members in their 20s, will now proceed to Pinduoduo’s tomato-growing greenhouse base in Yunnan to implement their respective horticultural proposals over the next six months.

Contestants will take a multidisciplinary approach, applying nutrition science, precision farming and other relevant technology to cultivate tomatoes. The winners will be judged on yield, nutritional value, environmental sustainability and commercial viability.

Over 120 researchers were shortlisted for the preliminary round. They come from top universities including China Agricultural University, Zhejiang University, Northwest A & F University, National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Wageningen University & Research, as well as smart agriculture enterprises.

“We want to encourage more young people to take part in agriculture and bring their talents and energy to make a meaningful impact on this traditional industry,” said Andre Zhu, Senior Vice President at Pinduoduo. “Pinduoduo will use its resources to groom the younger generation to support agricultural modernization. This will help farmers to sell better and benefit our users at the same time.”

Now in its second year, the Smart Agriculture Competition is led by Pinduoduo, China Agricultural University and Zhejiang University, with technical guidance from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Wageningen University & Research.

The Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences and representative agencies from the Netherlands, Switzerland and Denmark have also provided strong support. Leading agritech companies including Bayer Crop Science, Ridder Group and Omron have lent their industry expertise and advanced solutions to the competition.

As China’s largest agriculture platform serving more than 800 million consumers, Pinduoduo has made agriculture a central part of its mission to improve the way food is grown, transported and sold.

Last month, Pinduoduo announced it would launch a dedicated “10 Billion Agriculture Initiative” to face and address critical needs in the agricultural sector and rural areas. The initiative will be overseen by Chairman and CEO Chen Lei and strive to facilitate the advancement of agritech, promote digital inclusion, and provide agritech talents and workers with greater motivation and a sense of achievement.

About Pinduoduo Inc.

Pinduoduo is a mobile-only marketplace that connects millions of agricultural producers with consumers across China. Pinduoduo aims to bring more businesses and people into the digital economy so that local communities can benefit from the increased productivity and convenience through new market opportunities.

For more information on Pinduoduo news and industry trends, please visit the content hub at https://stories.pinduoduo-global.com. 

FAQ

What is the purpose of Pinduoduo's Smart Agriculture Competition?

The competition aims to encourage innovation in agriculture by allowing teams to implement new horticultural proposals focusing on yield, nutritional value, and sustainability.

When was the final selection for Pinduoduo's Smart Agriculture Competition made?

The final selection of teams was made on September 22, 2021.

Which teams were selected for Pinduoduo's Smart Agriculture Competition?

Hamato, TomaGrow, HortiAI, and CyberTomato were selected for the final round.

What age group primarily makes up the selected teams in Pinduoduo's competition?

Approximately 80% of the team members are in their 20s.

What is Pinduoduo's '10 Billion Agriculture Initiative'?

It's an initiative aimed at addressing critical needs in the agricultural sector and promoting digital inclusion and agritech advancements.