Play episode on Spotify

 

In the first episode of Season 8, Felix Sattler, our very own ;) Bioinformatics Analyst at Computomics, talks about predictive breeding, environmental modeling, and the role of data in improving breeding decisions under challenging growing conditions.

Drawing on his pearl millet research in West Africa, Felix reflects on how breeding analytics have evolved from simpler statistical approaches to models that combine genomic, phenotypic, and environmental data.

The conversation also looks at genotype-by-environment interactions, field trial design, data quality, and the importance of setting breeding targets that reflect local conditions rather than focusing on yield alone.

A broader theme runs through the episode: advanced analytics can only create value when they are paired with the right infrastructure, local knowledge, and practical understanding of how crops are grown and used.

In this episode

• Using rainfall, humidity, soil, radiation, and other environmental variables in predictive models
• Why breeding for resilience can be more important than breeding for maximum yield
• The challenges of applying AI and AGtech solutions across different regions and cultures
• Why local knowledge and trust matter when entering new agricultural markets
• The role of data infrastructure in making AI accessible to smaller breeding programs
• How to work with messy and inconsistent breeding data
• Computomics’ work with Chapter 54 and its exploration of opportunities across African markets

 

Mentioned in the episode
Chapter 54
An accelerator supporting European scale-ups exploring opportunities in African markets.
https://chapter54.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/chapter54/

ICRISAT
The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, an agricultural research organization with extensive work in dryland regions.
https://www.icrisat.org/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/icrisat

Dorcus C. Gemenet
Works with CGIAR-NARS crop breeding programs and was highlighted by Felix as someone working to make new breeding technologies more accessible, including for smallholder farmers and breeding programs in regions such as the Sahel.
LinkedIN