"The agricultural world needs Israeli innovation"

"I want to talk about something that affects us all—the global food supply system. The way we produce our food today is unsustainable, and the world is at a crossroads where artificial intelligence is working its magic, with Israel playing a central role in the story," said Ben Alfi, CEO and co-founder of the startup Bluewhite, at the Calcalist and Bank Leumi conference in Miami.

Alfi, who served 25 years in the Air Force and gained extensive experience in unmanned systems, is now applying that expertise to agriculture and the global food supply. "The story of Bluewhite is an optimistic story of innovation and love for the land," he said. "The problem lies in the growing challenges of food production, primarily due to a lack of agricultural labor. The baby boomer generation has retired, and today’s younger generation has new expectations from life. This does not include spending days on tractors or being exposed to chemicals. As a result, everything becomes more expensive, especially with the global population continuing to grow."

Alfi then introduced the solution developed by Bluewhite: "Technologies like robotics and artificial intelligence are driving a revolution in agriculture. Together, they enable a transformative approach that boosts efficiency and innovation. Our technology upgrades existing equipment by making it autonomous, allowing farmers to become significantly more efficient—from tractors to trucks. In real time, vast amounts of data are processed, unlocking new levels of productivity. For example, autonomous tractors are already proving to be a game-changer in the U.S. farming market. We’re collaborating with legacy corporations that have been in the market for over 100 years to tackle the global problem of food shortages."

He added: "Beyond agriculture, our technology can be adapted to other sectors like construction and logistics. Autonomy is no longer a luxury; it’s a necessity."

According to Alfi, Israel can be a leader in this sector like in the fields of cybersecurity and defense. "I believe we will lead this revolution as well. Israel has unparalleled expertise in robotics and automation, and the time to act is now. The agricultural world needs this innovation to survive, and for investors, it represents a trillion-dollar market," Alfi concluded.

Watch the full presentation in the video above.