Driving solutions to benefit people, animals and the environment
In partnership with the Bezos Earth Fund, we are developing low-cost virtual livestock fencing that would benefit farmers and animals, improve public health in developing countries, and combat climate change.
“This foundational support by the Bezos Earth Fund will catalyze our impactful work in the 2030 Project and AI initiative, from local to global scales, leveraging Cornell University’s unique model of collaboration.”

Ronald P. Lynch Dean, Office of the Dean; Professor, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Professor, Department of Global Development
- Benjamin Houlton, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Benefits to the Environment, Farmers & Animals
Combats Climate Change
Mitigates greenhouse gas emissions through improved soil & grass health

Improves Livelihoods
Reduces farm costs & increases productivity

Protects Livestock & Water
Keeps animals away from predators & human water sources

Project Overview
This project will develop low-cost virtual fencing for low- and middle-income countries. At the core of our virtual fencing system will be a ruggedized wearable device with a geolocation mechanism, behavioral sensors and stimulus mechanism to control the location of animals within a virtually-defined perimeter. Sensors will monitor eating and drinking behaviors, physical activity and rumination. Individual animal and group behavior insights will drive herd management decision-making. We aim to develop, test, improve and pilot our product through rapid-cycle innovation sprints.
Supported by

1
Prototype development
This work package will develop the novel, wearable device for cattle and goats at low cost, testing a range of technologies for implementing virtual fencing.
2
Field testing
Field testing will be done in pastoralist systems in Kenya and Mongolia, in dairy and beef systems in Argentina and Brazil, and in silvopastoral systems in Colombia.
3
Real-world applications
Pilot applications will provide evidence to leverage new large-scale implementation projects.
Project Team

Principal Investigator; Director, Food Systems & Global Change; Professor; Nancy and Peter Meinig Family Investigator, Life Sciences, Cornell CALS Department of Global Development; Cornell Atkinson Scholar

Faculty collaborator; S.C. Thomas Sze Director of the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell Engineering

Faculty collaborator; Professor, Cornell CALS Department of Animal Science; Director, Cornell Agricultural Testbed and Demonstration Site for the Farm of the Future; Associate Director, Cornell Institute for Digital Agriculture

Faculty collaborator; Stephen J. Fujikawa '77 Professor of Astronautical Engineering, Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell Engineering

Research Associate, Food Systems & Global Change, Cornell CALS Department of Global Development

Lecturer, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Cornell Engineering

Senior Project Manager, Food Systems & Global Change, Cornell CALS Department of Global Development

Communications Specialist, Food Systems & Global Change, Cornell CALS Department of Global Development

Postdoctoral Associate, Food Systems & Global Change, Cornell CALS Global Development

Postdoctoral Fellow, DVM, Ph.D., Cornell CALS Department of Animal Science
Ph.D. Student, Astronautical Engineering, Cornell Engineering