In the UK, the most common source of farm labor are Ukrainian and Russian migrants, so even with the government attempting to ensure fruit remains picked by expanding the visa scheme for farm workers, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has meant the sector has continued to experience significant labor shortages in 2022.

While robotic technology doesn’t appear quite ready to plug that gap yet, the EU-funded ROBS4CROPS demonstrates the progress that is being made. The project aims to accelerate the use of automation in farming across Europe.

“With ROBS4CROPS we combine technology and business expertise, as well as on-field know-how by growers. They are those giving insight and inputs to perfect the system,” the team explains. “The idea is to bring all the members of the value chain together.”

Automating farming

The project entails a couple of solutions for automating various agricultural processes. For instance, the fully automated solution ensures that both weeding and spraying are carried out by robots. There is also a partially automated option, in which tractors are retrofitted with a device to allow various processes to be automated.

“Both platforms will be topped up with a number of smart implements for weeding and spraying,” the team explains. “The goal is to help farmers get rid of repetitive tasks in different settings, from orchards to vineyards.”

The technologies are currently being tested in a range of different areas, including France, Greece, and Spain. The hope is that technology will eventually help to reduce the load on farmers and their staff.

“Robots can relieve farmers from the burden of daily tasks by reducing them. Having robots in the fields means having some time to focus on more valuable tasks—such as production analysis,” the team concludes. “The ROBS4CROPS (Robots for protecting crops) solutions can therefore result in higher quality products while also ensuring a smaller carbon footprint and less exposure to harmful chemicals.”