A drone flies over a farm in Tanzania. (Image source: FAO/Eduardo Soteras)

On 17 May, at the Business Federations of the G7 (B7) meeting which took place in Rome, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), QU Dongy highlighted that AI is not just a technological shift, but is driving a fundamental economic and social transformation at the broadest level

He noted that ”Digital agriculture can revolutionise how we produce, distribute and consume food,” highlighting that potential benefits for farmers and stakeholders across agrifood systems include improved pricing data, minimising food loss and waste, enhancing food safety and stimulating adoption of better seeds, fertiliser and sustainable practices.

The B7 comprises the main business and industrial federations of the G7 members and the European Union. Once a year, the B7 presents its recommendations on selected priority topics to the G7 presidency, which this year is held by Italy.

The Director-General emphasised the central role that data plays in AI and digital technologies, noting that quality data is needed to train innovative tools and to accelerate actions such as agrifood systems transformation.

FAO has a formidable database in FAOSTAT, data is central to FAO’s Strategic Framework 2022-2031 and has an innovation lab to experiment with new sources and methods. One takeaway from those initiatives is that data ecosystems require significant investment and effective collaboration. FAO stands ready to engage and partner with the B7 group and the private sector in this area, Qu said.

Symaga's new SGA and MES IT systems streamline warehouse and production management, earning a Certificate in Technological Innovation from ACEI. (Image source: Symega)

Symaga has successfully implemented its new SGA and MES IT systems, significantly enhancing the efficiency of its raw material and finished product warehouse management 

The SGA system allows real-time execution of the raw material reception process, which is interconnected with Symaga's ERP system. This integration enables the immediate use of incoming materials, resulting in a more efficient storage system. Inventory management is streamlined using DataMatrix codes, facilitating the quick and accurate handling of large volumes of products.

Furthermore, the new SGA systems improve picking and loading operations by optimizing package allocation within the warehouse, thereby increasing efficiency and safety.

The MES system enhances product quality and manufacturing control by automating quality control processes and alerting operators when necessary checks are required. It provides real-time monitoring of all machines, recording and reporting incidents detected by operators, thereby improving production management. The MES system integration also facilitates order preparation from the factory, optimizes the creation of packing lists, and enhances order shipments through terminals equipped with code readers for real-time registration, reducing human errors.

Symaga has been awarded a Certificate in Technological Innovation by the Spanish Certification Agency ACEI for the design and development of this comprehensive system. This award recognizes Symaga's contribution to the digital transformation towards Industry 4.0 during the implementation of the SGA and MES systems.

The intelligent digital management of warehouses and production is enabling Symaga to increase efficiency and productivity. This leads to cost reductions and faster, more efficient deliveries of its silos, enhancing competitiveness and supporting the corporate vision of becoming the largest manufacturer of storage solutions worldwide.

The most recent investment in Symaga's manufacturing site has strengthened the company's production process of the silo roof sectors. (Image source: Symaga)

Symaga's strong commitment to the preservation of its natural environment, has urged the company to increase the overall capacity of their solar plant from 200 kW up to 800 kW this year

Currently, 70% of all Symaga's manufacturing operations are being driven by their own generated green energy resources. The company is on the path to becoming more efficient, sustainable and competitive, with their medium-term goal being focused on shifting the entire production to their green supplies. 

The most recent investment in Symaga's manufacturing site has strengthened the company's production process of the silo roof sectors, resulting in a 30% increase in productivity within the cutting and bending section. Symaga has acquired two new flattening-cutting and bending lines equipped with stiffening rollers to improve both the flattening and structural quality of their roof sectors. In order to absorb the increase in their cuttiing operations, a new robot cell for bending and packing roof sectors has been implemented. 

This action is part of Symaga's Annual Investment Plan, which underlines their commitment to maintaining production and operational excellence, while also promoting environmental and occupational safety standards. These plans seek to improve the company's production capacity, a cornerstone of Symaga’s success, ensuring state of the art production supported by a team of 150 professionals, capable of handling projects from layout to after-sales.

For more information, visit:  https://www.symaga.com/en/