KERNEL at COP29

This year Kernel became a partner of Ukraine Pavilion at the 29th Conference of Parties to the UNFCCC in Baku, Azerbaijan. We are bringing with us showcases of sustainable and climate-resilient practices at every stage of our value chain. These include Data Science and innovations when planning precise agriculture technology, regenerative agriculture operations on field and low-carbon processing of final products.

We seek to contribute to the overarching goal of addressing the
misconception that the Ukrainian agriculture sector is unsustainable.

Kernel’s panels in the Ukraine Pavilion at COP29

MARKETS
POLICY
INNOVATIONS

When:18 Nov, 12:00-12:50

Where:Ukraine Pavilion

The role of Ukraine's agricultural sector in achieving goals of the Paris Agreement: voluntary markets of nature-based carbon certificates, bioenergy, sustainable food supply chains

With its unique agroclimatic conditions, fertile soils, deep-rooted agricultural expertise, and cutting-edge IT innovations, Ukraine holds immense potential to drive the decarbonization of global food supply chains. The country is well-positioned to contribute to the development of voluntary carbon markets and support the global energy transition through the production of biofuels.

Gianpiero Nacci,

Director in the Green Economy and Climate Action team, EBRD (TBC)

Marta Trofimova,

Head of Sustainability, KERNEL

Thierry Bolle-Picard,

Managing Partner, Sentinel Earth

Katarzyna Szwarc,

Vice President Government & Regulatory Affairs, MSCI (TBC)

Timothy Worledge,

Editorial Director, Fastmarkets (TBC)
[Moderator]

When:18 Nov, 13:00-13:50

Where:Ukraine Pavilion

Integration of Ukrainian agriculture in the climate agenda of the European Union: the role of policymakers, private and financial sectors

This panel will explore the EU's position and plans regarding climate-specific regulations for agriculture, including areas such as greenhouse gas emissions, soil organic carbon management, and regenerative farming practices. Additionally, it will address the steps the Ukrainian agriculture sector must take to align with the EU’s climate agenda, highlighting key actions and opportunities for collaboration to meet shared environmental objectives.

Sung-Ah Kyun,

Associate Director, Head of Green Policy and Climate Analytics, EBRD (TBC)

Herwig Ranner,

Team Leader – Climate change and agriculture, DG AGRI, European Commission

Oleksandra Avramenko,

Head of European Integration Committee, Association "Ukrainian Agribusiness Club"

Prof. Dr. Alfons Balmann,

Director of The Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies

Vitaliy Koval,

Minister of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine

Kateryna Spivakova,

Director of Communications and Government Relations, KERNEL
[Moderator]

When:18 Nov, 14:00-14:50

Where:Ukraine Pavilion

Data Science, AI and Machine learning: how Ukraine applies innovations to drive low-carbon precision agriculture and humanitarian demining

The innovative approach enables high yields while minimizing environmental impact. Moreover, these advancements are now playing a pivotal role in holistic mine action in Ukraine, supporting evidence-based planning for soil recovery and sustainable land use practices.

Danylo Polyakov,

Head of Data Science, KERNEL

Kateryna Shavanova,

PhD R&D Team Lead, Kernel

Inbal Becker-Reshef,

Program Director, NASA Harvest (TBC)

Olena Pareniuk,

PhD, Project Coordinator for Territory Prioritization Information Management, Ministry of Economy of Ukraine

Tiphaine Lucas,

Programme Coordinator, Mine Action and Land Rehabilitation, FAO Ukraine (TBC)

Josh Matthews,

Practice Leader for Sustainability, HFS Research
[Moderator]

The Pathway of a Sunflower Seed

Planning

Tailoring precise and sustainable agriculture technology based on data science and digital solutions

Sowing

Regenerative agriculture for carbon sequestartion, climate adaptation and biodiversity promotion

Harvesting

Artificial intelligence for yields estimation and differentiation by carbon footprint

Final product

Green electricity oilseed processing

Planning

Sampling and analysis of soil characteristics

Kernel has its own laboratory, KernelLab, that analyses the agrichemical and agrophysical characteristics of soil, including the volume of soil organic carbon, on each of our fields.

Data consolidation and analysis in the farm management system

Kernel has been developing its farm management system, Digital Agribusiness, since 2015. This integrated IT solution consolidates results of laboratory analysis of soil, geospatial analysis of fields, meteorological data, records of tillage operations and results of on-the-ground scouting. This forms the evidence-based basis of tailored agriculture technology and accurate forecasts of yields.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning for precise and sustainable agriculture

The large array of data is used to identify specific areas of productivity and homogeneity across each field and plan the agriculture technology accordingly. This approach allows for a precise application of fertilizers and plant protection products, optimization of fuel use by agriculture machinery and, therefore, reduction of GHG emissions and negative impact on biodiversity.

Continuous R&D for new evidence-based solutions

Kernel operates a research and development center on designated lands, where all new agriculture solutions and technologies are tested before scaling up. These include, among other new hybrids crop with higher resistance to acute climate change events, bioproducts that improve soil health, inhibitors of nitrification that reduce emissions from application of N-fertilizers, as well as new forms of reduced tillage.

Sowing

We apply regenerative agriculture practices that promote agroecological metrics of soil.

Cover Crops

These are plants that restore soil health and enhance its properties. They protect fields from weeds, and strong winds, and enrich the soil with beneficial nutrients. We have been studying cover crops since 2016, experimenting with various mixtures to improve soil health, retain moisture balance, and more.

Optimization of Nitrogen Nutrition and Use of Nitrification Inhibitors

When calculating nitrogen fertilization for the planned yield, we take an individualized approach to each field, considering organic matter content, agrochemical analysis, and specific soil and climate conditions. Our proprietary model for calculating field potential takes into account big data, accumulated precision farming data, and scientific research. We continuously test nitrification inhibitors in various soil and climate conditions to ensure optimal usage.

Using Biopreparations

Since 2013, we have been using biopreparations in our practices. We received the international BioAgTech Sustainable Grower Award from Global BioAg Linkages, an organization that annually recognizes agricultural producers demonstrating the use of biotechnology to support food security and sustainability.We have signed a memorandum of strategic partnership with BTU, including joint activities in projects focused on decarbonizing Ukraine's agricultural sector, soil restoration, and the biologization of crop production.

Minimizing Soil Tillage

Strip-till is a technology that combines strip tillage with simultaneous fertilizer application. We have been studying and implementing this technology since 2014, expanding our fleet with equipment from global manufacturers, such as Mzuri and Ortman seed drills. We also apply no-till technologies, including Verti-till systems for vertical soil tillage, without sacrificing productivity.

Harvesting

crops found by the model
crops with gaps
duplicates

Differentiation by carbon footprint

Our sunflower grows on different fields across various agro-climatic conditions and soil types, requiring individual agriculture technologies and, therefore, producing different carbon footprint, including carbon removals.

For that reason, we are accounting carbon intensity of sunflower and other crops (kgCO2e/t of grain and kgCO2e/ha) for every one of our 5000 fields. Such granularity in emissions data is essential to plan efficient decarbonization practices across business operations by specifically targeting areas with the highest carbon intensities, without omitting a positive effect of existing low-carbon practices.

Artificial intelligence for yields estimation

First, a computer vision model estimates crop density in the field using drone images. Another model, based on weather data, particularly accumulated temperature indicators, and this year’s observations, simulates the BBCH growth stage, which indicates the corresponding developmental stage of the plant in the field.

Kernel developed an application that employs artificial intelligence to estimate the biological yields of sunflowers from a photograph. The agronomists take into account the previously estimated field density, the mass of 1000 seeds, and their average number per a sunflower. To determine the latter, there is a computer vision model that counts the number of filled and unfilled seeds from a photo. Considering that the field may not have reliable internet access, this model operates directly within the mobile application.

pollinated
unpollinated

Our goal is to ensure the traceability of the carbon footprint of our commodities throughout the whole production chain (cradle-to-gate), so that our trade partners, investors, and other stakeholders better understand Kernel’s potential in making a decarbonization impact in the global food supply chains.

Final product

Kernel showcases strong performance in the circular economy by utilizing ‘green’ electricity to power the production of bottled sunflower oil. The green electricity is generated at the company’ own combined heat and power plant from the side produce of a oilseed processing plant - sunflower seed husk.

Our Poltavsky Vegetable Oil Extraction Plant, where Kernel’s bottled oil is produced, has become the only company in the Ukrainian food sector to commit to the Science Based Targets initiative near-term targets in line with the 1.5 °C scenario.

KERNEL at COP29

Kernel’s panels in the Ukraine Pavilion at COP29

The Pathway of a Sunflower Seed

Planning

Sowing

Harvesting

Final product

Read more about our innovations