WITH France potentially facing a shortage of farmers in the decade ahead, Kim Huynh-Kieu has created an application called Biosphere to help newcomers to the sector grow food using natural methods. And it bears something of a resemblance to a certain '90s computer game ...
Kim Huynh-Kieu is an all-rounder. His surprising career has led his from pharmaceutical sciences to music to computer programming to design. He'd be an easy fit for the offices of Station F, Europe's biggest startup incubator, located in Paris and founded by French telecoms magnate Xavier Niel. However, it's the millionaire businessman's new project, "Hectar" -- an agricultural school for the farmers of tomorrow, opening soon -- which could, in fact, be a better match for this multifaceted individual. Kim Huynh-Kieu's diverse experience led him to wonder about the role of agriculture in today's society. His interest turned to new farmers, a third of whom come neither from the countryside nor from crop-growing backgrounds. And he foresees them having a future worthy of the developers everyone thought were uncool just some years ago, before Mark Zuckerberg invented Facebook.
Through contact with these new farmers, he came up with Biosphere to help reduce the time, risk and complexity involved in starting out in the sector. This application bears a resemblance to the SimCity computer game, popular in the '90s, where players could build (or destroy) the city of their dreams by adding factories, crops and more. In the app, a grower can design the market garden of their dreams. And thanks to models of artificial intelligence used by Facebook or eBay, the Biosphere app helps farmers protect their crops from pests (like slugs) and choose the best complementary varieties of fruit and vegetables to plant based on their precise location. To boot, the app integrates weather data, predicts red flags for growers to keep an eye on and offers advice on the fruit or vegetable to plant to maximize yield from a small plot of land (300 sq m to 5 ha). ETX Studio asked the app's creator a few questions.
How can Biosphere be useful for new farmers?
There is a problem with food resilience. This problem isn't new, but it is starting to become critical. Mindful of this are young gardeners or market gardeners who want to work with agroecology techniques, in other words, [in ways that] preserve the planet's resources. These techniques may be ancestral, but they are completely unknown to these new generations of farmer-gardeners. So, one year ago, we launched Biosphere to help them find solutions, between their needs and nature, to produce food.
You note that these new farmers are also sometimes actually just gardeners.
59% of French people have a garden. That represents 10 million people in France. When you have 400 or 500 sq m of garden, you want to have a vegetable patch, like our grandparents, and to take control of the food you eat, or in any case, bring back homegrown things to your plate. These people are getting into agriculture to make the most of their outdoor space while taking control of what they eat. And among them, some think "why not go into farming?" This percentage is far from negligible. It represents 30% to 40% of newcomers to market gardening.
Why did you choose to work on an app rather than on a robot, for example?
I left my job as a designer to spend several months with farmers and to practice market gardening, in several countries. For a year, I worked on a model for a robot assistant. But the investment was much too high. We realized that the real problem to solve, when getting started in agroecology or permaculture, is the complexity of the knowledge [required] for novices. With Biosphere, we wanted to remove this impediment.
How were you inspired by Facebook or eBay when making the app?
Internet giants identify our tastes via our data (in other words, our clicks). In relation to these, they "push" videos onto our virtual wall or T-shirts onto websites we visit. We use exactly the same interactions to "push" roses or daisies -- in other words, the most judicious planting choices -- next to those that you already have. Like on a social network, the app also envisages events like "leaf growth" or "bug attack." This data is then taken into account by machine learning and is honed to help other users.
ETX Studio
Wed Mar 10 2021
Want to learn how to plant tomatoes and cabbages? There's an app for that! ETXStudiopic
ISIS Malaysia's perspective of Budget 2025
An excellent rakyat-centric budget under the overarching principle of a caring and humane economy.
Budget 2025: Record increase in STR, SARA aid initiatives
The government will provide a significant boost to the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) initiatives next year.
Budget 2025: EPF contributions to be made mandatory for foreign workers – PM Anwar
The government plans to make it compulsory for all non-citizen workers to contribute to the Employees Provident Fund (EPF).
What policies to expect from Indonesia's new President Prabowo
Prabowo will be open to foreign investment, his aide has said, such as by offering investors management of airports and sea ports.
Budget 2025: Govt allocates RM470 mil to empower women's participation in PMKS
The Women's Leadership Apprenticeship Program will be intensified as an effort to produce more female corporate personalities.
Israel sends more troops into north Gaza, deepens raid
Residents of Jabalia in northern Gaza said Israeli tanks had reached the heart of the camp, using heavy air and ground fire.
Indonesia ramps up security ahead of Prabowo's inauguration
Prabowo Subianto will be sworn in as Indonesia's president on Sunday with Vice President-elect, Gibran Rakabuming Raka, also taking office.
Immediate allocation of RM150 mil for local authorities, DID to tackle flash floods
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said this allocation is intended to address the recent flash floods that hit the capital and several major towns.
Budget 2025: Sabah, Sarawak to continue receiving among highest allocations - PM
Sabah and Sarawak continues to be prioritised under Budget 2025, with allocations of RM6.7 billion and RM5.9 billion respectively.
NFOF will be operational in November 2024 with funding of RM1 bil
PM Anwar Ibrahim said NFOF will support venture capital fund managers to invest in startup companies with RM300 million set aside for 2025.
Minimum wage to increase to RM1,700 effective Feb 1, 2025
The Progressive Wage Policy would be fully enforced next year with an allocation of RM200 million, benefiting 50,000 workers.
Bursa Malaysia ends higher on Budget 2025 optimism
The benchmark index, which opened 1.85 points higher at 1,643.29, moved between 1,641.71 and 1,649.31 throughout the trading session.
Five important aspects relating to people’s lives in Budget 2025 - PM
The focus is on driving the MADANI Economy, speeding reforms, cutting red tape, raising wages, and tackling the cost of living.
Economic outlook: Govt plans to leverage, expand existing city transit system
The expansion aims to provide a more efficient and reliable public transportation network, reduce congestion, and improve accessibility.
Economic outlook: Budget 2025 to lay foundation for a digital-driven economy
The report said Budget 2025 will entail efforts to position Kuala Lumpur as a top 20 global startup hub by 2030 through the KL20 initiative.
Economic outlook: Corruption and lack of accountability hinder economic progress
Special Cabinet Committee on National governance is established to curb corruption, law reforms to modernise outdate regulations, MoF said.
National Wages Consultative Council will be strengthened
The govt will also incentivise hiring women returning from career breaks, offer job matching and improve care services facilities.
Economic outlook: Ensuring 11 years of compulsory education for all children
Budget 2025 will continue prioritising upskilling and retraining initiatives to equip workers with the latest skill sets necessary.
Consolidated public sector projected to record lower surplus of RM41.7 bil 2024
The MoF said the consolidated general government revenue is estimated to increase slightly to RM384.7 billion in 2024.
PM announces substantial Budget 2025 hastening Malaysia to become Asian economic powerhouse
Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said it would create jobs and also tackle financial leakages to enhance public spending efficiency.