CNH acquires minority stake in AI imaging startup

CNH has announced that its investment arm, CNH Ventures, has acquired a minority stake in the Brazilian ag-tech startup Bem Agro. The UK-headquartered equipment and services company said the move serves to further strengthen its tech stack.

Bem Agro, which is an existing supplier to CNH, uses artificial intelligence to convert aerial field images — including those taken from machines, drones, and satellites — into agronomic mapping reports. CNH said these reports furnish farmers with vital data, enabling growers to optimize field operations, better allocate resources, and increase yields while reducing their costs.

CNH noted, for instance, that in sugarcane, grain, and fiber harvesting, during which farmers can face low-visibility conditions, Bem Agro’s maps provide guidance lines for course correction and crop damage reduction. The startup’s weed mapping also identifies specific areas that need to be sprayed and therefore minimizes herbicide usage, CNH added.

CNH said that the investment follows over five years of successful commercial partnership with Bem Agro. It currently uses the startup’s mapping solutions on its Connected Platforms for sugarcane harvesters, tractors, and sprayers in Brazil, Indonesia, and Thailand. Together with Bem Agro, it said it aims to enhance its precision technology solutions, increasing its reach across Latin America and the Asia Pacific region.