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VETITECH

USING VETIVER TO FIGHT AGAINST SOIL EROSION

IN TROPICAL ZONES IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY

ACT IN SPACE – 2023 – CHALLENGE AIRBUS N°5

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A BIT ABOUT US

Anne-Sophie ANDERSSON

  • Data Scientist

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  • Currently working at the European Space Center

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  • French Guiana

Lucas BONNIE

  • Agricultural Engineer

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  • Worked as a Vetiver project manager in Madagascar

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  • French Guiana

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THE PROBLEM :

Around 25k€ / km / year are spent annually on the maintenance of national roads in French Guiana

PAVEMENT COLLAPSE ON THE RN1 IN FRENCH GUIANA

HOW CAN WE MINIMIZE THE ECONOMICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS OF THE ROAD MAINTENANCE IN TROPICAL CLIMATE ?

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33% OF SOILS WORLDWIDE ERODED (source FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization)

UP TO 1000 YEARS TO CREATE 1CM OF SOIL

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OUR SOLUTION : �THE VETIVER …

VETIVER, A PLANT WITH MULTIPLE BENEFITS:

The densest root system in the world

Non-invasive plant

Rapid growth (plant C4)

Erosion control

Production of biomass

Soil decontamination

Carbon sink : 53 T CO2/Ha

BIOLOGICAL

ENVIRONMENTAL

SOCIAL

Totally safe for drivers

Easy to plant

And it smells good!!

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3 meters

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…COMBINED WITH AI = VETITECH

UP42 CHANGE DETECTION ALGORITHM:

  • To detect Roads edges

DEEP LEARNING MODEL

AUTOMATIC QUOTATION:

  • Total Planting costs :
  • Number of vetiver plants

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  • Number of rows to be planted

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  • Calculation of CO2 saved

PETIT SAUT’S ROAD

3 km

UP 42 Pléiades Neo

  • To prioritize soil erosion risks using:

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    • Elevation data

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    • Hydrological data

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    • Geological data

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BUSINESS MODEL

AUDIT

  • Priorization of areas to plant

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  • Automatic quotation

1 900 €/Km

PLANTATION

  • Vetiver nursery

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  • Transport

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  • Site set-up

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  • Biomass harvest

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  • Certificate of compliance

290 000 €/1 Ha

INSTALLATION

STONEWORK

900 000€/1 Ha

3 times more expensive

LOW CARBON LABEL

  • Possibility of grant

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  • New European legislation 2020: CSRD (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive)

TARGET: CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES AND PUBLIC MARKET

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FINANCIAL APPROACH

Previsionnal

Sales figures

Expenses + Wage bill

Benefits

2023 – 1 Ha

290 000

425 940

- 135 940

2024 – 10 Ha

2 900 000

2 700 540

199 460

2025 – 20 Ha

5 800 000

5 112 540

687 460

TOTAL

8 990 000

8 239 020

750 980

FINANCIAL NEED

200 000 €

STARTING INVESTMENT EXPENSES

  • Working force
  • Office
  • Nursery
  • Plantation equipment
  • UP42 subscription
  • Research and Development
  • IT equipment

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HIGH TECH COMBINED WITH BIOENGINEERING TO STOP EROSION !

NORMAL PROCESS

VETIVER PROCESS

  • ENERGY CONSUMER
  • CO2 EMISSION
  • EXPENSIVE
  • ENERGY SAVER
  • CO2 ABSORBER
  • NOT EXPENSIVE
  • SOCIAL CONTRACTS

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VETITECH

THANK YOU!