Potato project awarded grant

Published 6 February 2017

BECC researcher Johanna Alkan Olsson from Lund University was awarded 5 000 Euro for her project on algorithmic potato farming at Climate-KIC Nordic Ideation Day 27/1. The project will create a method for farmers to better handle outbreaks of late blight on crops, a disease expected to become more problematic in a changing climate.

This was the second ever Climate-KIC Nordic Ideation Day and it was held at DTU Skylab on the 27/1 2017. No less than 59 idea suggestions were submitted in advance. Out of these, a little more than a third (23) was selected and allowed to pitch at the event. In the end there were 16 projects that were awarded either 5 000 of 10 000 Euros. Climate-KICs Ideation Day awards novel innovative ideas with seed project finance and the finance decision is made, and announced the same day at the actual event.

Also involved in the potato project are Veiko Lehsten from the Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University and Laura Grenville-Briggs from the Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU).