Accelerating the large-scale application of robotics and automation. That is the goal of the Robs4Crops project. The project will receive €7.9 million budget for this from the European Union's Horizon 2020 programme and is led by Wageningen University & Research.
The main challenge in European agriculture is labour, reports Wageningen University & Research. Labour costs are putting pressure on agricultural profitability. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic shows that the scarcity of labour can jeopardise the functioning of the food chain. For example, the virus prevented seasonal workers from travelling to European agricultural regions, leading growers across Europe to report a shortage of workers.
Robotics and automation
As a result, the COVID-19 pandemic is leading to strong investments in robotics and automation in the European agricultural sector. This marks a structural change in the agri-food sector, according to Wageningen University & Research. Robotics is currently only sparsely used in European agriculture. Robots are often deployed as stand-alone units, rather than as part of a complete robotic system. Many application do not reach their full potential as a result.
Robs4Crops aims to demonstrate how robotics and related techniques can bring precision and feasibility to everyday, repetitive tasks. Automating these tasks should lead to people doing less unpleasant and unhealthy work. And could be a solution to the sector's labour shortage.
Robotised farming solution
The focus here is on creating a robotised farming solution. This is a flexible and modular system that lowers farmers' dependence on hired workers, increases safety, reduces the need for human input and reduces the overall carbon footprint of food production. The focus here is on the most demanding and repetitive tasks. Mechanical weed management and pest and disease control are cited as examples.
The solution consists of three elements: smart tools, autonomous vehicles and the agricultural controller. Within the project, existing agricultural implements and tractors are being upgraded. For instance, existing hoeing machines are fitted with additional sensors. With these, the system assesses the effectiveness of the machines in real-time.
The agricultural controller consists of planning and programming software. The software uses Digital Twin technology for proactive and response planning. A Digital Twin is a virtual representation of a physical object. Data are stored in a Farm Management Information Systems (FMIS) or Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.
Three goals
The project should lead to:
- A multidisciplinary ecosystem that brings together relevant private and public players in a co-innovation dynamic to support the practical application of robots in agriculture. These include farmers, retailers, regulators, technology suppliers and citizens
- A complete robotic farming system that uses knowledge gained in industrial production to realise full autonomy. The system should connect to existing farming equipment, practices and standards.
- Large-scale pilots demonstrating the technical advantages, socio-economic benefits and business potential of the Robts4Crops system. The pilots will be set up in four countries: France, Greece, Spain and the Netherlands. This will involve collaboration with commercial farms and industry.
Dr Frits van Evert, Senior Researcher at Wageningen University & Research and project coordinator of Robs4Crops: "The agricultural sector is very sensitive to the cost and scarcity of labour. And it is crucial to make cultivation methods more efficient and sustainable. Robs4Crops provides a breakthrough in revitalising Europe's food and agriculture industry and the essential 'catalyst' in accelerating and accepting high-tech robotics and automated techniques in agriculture."
Further information about the project is available here.
Author: Wouter Hoefnagel
Source photo: Pixabay / Pete Linforth
