What makes your work or contribution to the industry special?
AGRONAY is a holistic platform that approaches sustainable transformation in agriculture not merely as a technological challenge, but as a cultural, managerial, and ecosystem-wide shift. While many digital agriculture solutions focus on isolated problems, AGRONAY brings together disciplines and stakeholders that would not normally collaborate, creating an integrated sustainability ecosystem. From software developers and IoT experts to traceability systems, carbon and water footprint specialists, LCA experts, and sustainability consultants, we unite diverse fields under a shared digital infrastructure and a common language. Through this structure, agricultural enterprises and cooperatives are able to measure carbon emissions, monitor water and environmental impacts, manage sustainability goals, develop climate adaptation strategies, and ensure full traceability from field to consumer.
What truly distinguishes AGRONAY is not only its technology, but its ability to connect the field with management by embedding data directly into decision-making processes. We see agriculture as a continuous value chain—linking farmers and cooperatives to processors, brands, and financial institutions—where sustainability must be measurable, transparent, and actionable at every stage.
Our goal is to build a low-carbon, data-driven system that supports both climate resilience and economic viability. With AGRONAY, sustainability moves beyond reporting and becomes part of how companies operate, plan, and invest. For me, the most powerful aspect of this journey is the vision of agriculture not only as a food-producing sector, but as a climate-resilient, fair, and future-shaping system. In this sense, I often see myself as a conductor of an orchestra—bringing together diverse expertise, enabling each partner to contribute their strongest capabilities, and guiding them toward a shared, transformative vision.
Prof. Dr. Meltem Onay graduated from the Department of Landscape Architecture at Ege University's Faculty of Agriculture. After completing her master's degree at Adnan Menderes University's Department of Business Administration, she received his doctorate from the same university. She worked as a Press and Public Relations Specialist at Muğla University between 1994 and 1996.
After working as a lecturer at the Ege Vocational School at Ege University between 1998 and 2000, she began working as a faculty member in the Department of Management and Organization at Manisa Celal Bayar University in 2000. She retired from the same university in 2018. In 2018, she served as Vice Rector at Onbeş Kasım Kıbrıs University, serving as Rector from January/August 2024. In 2023, she founded the "Sustainable Agriculture R&D Cooperative." She served as Chairman of the Board of Directors.
In 2024, she founded her own company, Agronay Doğal Tarım.
She is the producer and host of the program "Agriculture and Livestock Vision" on Ege TV. Her articles appear weekly in Yeni Gün Newspaper as an "Agriculture Writer." She has five published books and 25 articles both domestically and internationally.
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How does AGRONAY bring together agriculture and technology in practice, and what makes it different from other agri-tech companies?
AGRONAY brings agriculture and technology together by integrating field operations, data, and decision-making into one unified sustainability system. Rather than offering stand-alone digital tools, we create a continuous feedback loop between what happens in the field and how strategic decisions are made. This system is built on three interconnected layers.
- Field and data layer
Production data from farmers, cooperatives, and agribusinesses is collected through sensors, digital tools, and monitoring systems. What truly differentiates AGRONAY is the strength of our field teams. They do not operate remotely; they work directly within local communities—visiting farms and villages, engaging with producers, and collaborating with local authorities—to verify data at its source. This approach takes more time, but it ensures that the data is accurate, reliable, and socially grounded. From the very beginning, our system is designed not only to track yield and quality, but also carbon, water, soil, energy, and social impact indicators.
- Analysis and decision-support layer
Collected data is transformed into insight through carbon and water footprint calculations, life-cycle assessments (LCA), and sustainability scoring. Unlike many agri-tech companies, AGRONAY can perform product-level LCA, which is becoming increasingly critical under emerging regulations such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. We do not simply monitor; we measure, analyse, and interpret. This allows companies to move beyond understanding the past and to clearly identify risks, opportunities, and priority areas for transformation.
- Implementation and transformation layer
These insights are translated into climate-adaptation strategies, efficiency projects, low-carbon production practices, and traceability systems. In this way, data does not remain in reports - it becomes real change in the field.
What makes AGRONAY truly different is that we do not operate as a single technology provider. We function as a collaborative platform that brings together software developers, IoT providers, traceability systems, and environmental impact experts within one shared sustainability framework. Each partner validates and cross-checks the others’ data, strengthening both transparency and credibility.
As a result, agricultural enterprises no longer need to manage multiple disconnected systems. Instead, they gain access to one integrated platform that measures, manages, and drives sustainable transformation. For AGRONAY, technology is not an end in itself; it is a means to build a more just, transparent, and climate-resilient agricultural system.
What inspired you to create a socially oriented startup that combines agriculture and technology?
This journey began not as a business idea, but as a confrontation with the reality I witnessed in the field. Over the years, while working in agricultural communities, cooperatives, and producer organizations, I saw one truth very clearly: those who contribute the most often have the least voice. Women, young people, and small-scale farmers were at the center of the system, yet remained excluded from the decision-making processes.
At the same time, as the climate crisis, water stress, and input costs continued to rise, farmers lacked the right data and tools to manage these risks. Many understood what they were losing, but not how to transform their situation.
I imagined AGRONAY at the intersection of these two gaps: real needs from the field, and the technology and knowledge waiting to be used. AGRONAY was created not only to offer digital solutions, but to empower producers, reduce inequalities, and build a farming system that works in harmony with nature. My goal was to transform farmers into actors who have access to data, can make informed decisions, and lead their own transformation.
I see agriculture not only as an economic sector, but as something deeply connected to social justice and climate resilience. Separating the different stakeholders—suppliers, companies, developers, and consumers—is a mistake. The real challenge, and the core inspiration behind AGRONAY, is turning these diverse interests into shared goals and collective action.
Which values are especially important to you in your leadership and in your company?
For me, leadership is not about directing, but about creating space—a space where people, ideas, and different perspectives can grow together. When I founded AGRONAY, I placed three core values at the center of our culture:
- Transparency
Trust is the bedrock of sustainability. We prioritize data-driven decision-making and open communication, ensuring that every stakeholder—from the field to the boardroom—can rely on the integrity of our insights.
- Collaboration
Sustainability is too complex for any one organization to solve alone. I see AGRONAY as a platform for collective intelligence. My leadership style starts with listening; I filter diverse inputs through a strategic lens to build foundations where different disciplines can thrive together.
- Inclusivity and social impact
I truly believe that transformation in agriculture cannot be real unless women, young people, and small-scale producers are empowered. For this reason, we focus not only on environmental outcomes but also on high social impact.
In addition, a scientific approach, continuous learning, and deep respect for the field are essential parts of AGRONAY’s culture. My leadership philosophy is about empowering people, because real transformation is built together.
What message would you like to share with young women aspiring to careers in technology or agriculture?
I want you to know this: you are at the very center of this transformation. For many years, both agriculture and technology were defined as "difficult" and "male-dominated" fields. Yet today, the world’s greatest opportunities for change lie exactly at the intersection of these two sectors.
As we face the climate crisis and food security challenges, we no longer need only faster solutions—we need more sensitive, holistic, and human-centered approaches. This perspective is often made possible through the intuition, care, and ability to connect that naturally exist within women.
If you feel that something is missing, or if you think "there must be a better way," that feeling is not a weakness—it is the spark that begins transformation. You do not have to fit into limiting expectations. Your knowledge and intuition add genuine value to these systems.
Be brave. Ask the right questions. Do not be afraid to learn, to try, and to make mistakes. And always remember: every step one woman takes opens the path for another.
You are not only shaping your own future; you are transforming the future of agriculture, technology, and our relationship with nature.
