What's Next with Philip Meissner Using AI to Save Water: Why Farmers Matter Most
We’re panicking about AI’s water use and missing the real problem.
Jairo Trad, co-founder and CEO of Kilimo, explains why farmers sit at the center of the global water crisis, and how AI, used the right way, can dramatically reduce water waste at scale.
Speaking with Philip Meissner, Jairo shares how Kilimo delivers AI-driven irrigation advice by simple text messages, without sensors or hardware, and why incentives matter more than regulation.
In this episode, you’ll discover:
- Why 70–90% of global water use happens in agriculture, not data centers
- How AI without sensors helps farmers know exactly when to irrigate
- Why paying farmers to save water finally makes large-scale change possible
- How companies now invest in water security near their own facilities
- What a future looks like where water is no longer the limiting factor
This is a clear, pragmatic conversation about fixing water systems — not with guilt or panic, but with smarter incentives that actually work.
👉 Watch now to see why the path to water security starts on farms, not in server rooms.
Timestamps:
00:58 Why farmers drive climate impact
01:43 Agriculture vs AI water use
03:29 How much water farming really uses
04:09 The water problem no one fixes
06:351 How AI improves farm irrigation
07:51 What farmers gain from water tech
08:07 A farmer story: less water, better yields
09:45 Paying farmers to save water
13:12 Why climate must make business sense
15:01 How pricing fixes water problems
16:33 Where the biggest water savings are
18:07 What blocks water innovation
19:40 Rethinking the global water system
21:43 The thinker who inspired Jairo
23:51 Why entrepreneurs embrace pain
25:44 Scaling without losing judgment
28:04 Confidence vs ego in leadership
29:02 Building teams that challenge leaders
31:26 A future with water security
32:37 Why Jairo stays optimistic
Connect with Philip Meissner:
Connect with Jairo Trad:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ingjairotrad/
Explore Kilimo:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/agrokilimo
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/kilimo-agtech/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/agrokilimo
"What’s Next with Philip Meissner“
A journey through our future life and work, and the place to discover your next favorite strategy and innovation. With global perspectives and fresh thinking, brought to you by some of the most exciting thinkers, builders, and leaders across the globe. Philip Meissner hosts fantastic guests and speakers, who share their journeys and knowledge in the most authentic and deep-dive style – to guide you through our world of tomorrow. From economy to science, from tech policy to AI in a fast-changing world. Subscribe right now wherever you get your podcast!
#WaterCrisis #AgTech #AIForGood #SustainableAgriculture #WaterSecurity #ClimateTech #SmartIrrigation #FutureOfFarming #WaterInnovation #AIInAgriculture #ClimateSolutions #WaterManagement #Sustainability #FoodSecurity #ClimateAction
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.