European agri food sector sets 16 million euros robotics project
The project ought to accelerate the digital transformation to make the European agri food sector more efficient and competitive, in effect maximising the return of EU investment in agri food robotics and advance Europe to become the vanguard in providing safe and adequate food in a sustainable way.
The heart of the project is formed by Innovation Experiments, organized and monitored by Digital Innovation Hubs. In 7 Regional Clusters, initial experiments will demonstrate robotic innovations in agri food in a manner that ensures replicability and wide adoption across Europe.
As part of the agROBOfood project, to protect people from working in subzero temperatures, a mixed palletiser demonstrator robot will be built that can work in a freezer room. Another example will be to harvest fruit automatically, on time and with less manpower. This results in lower production and resource costs, whilst solving the labour shortage problem. Furthermore a demonstrator for cucumbers will be built which can judge the maturity and pick & handle fruits in a greenhouse.
Researchers in the project will also show the use of drones to monitor vineyards. Many more examples will be demonstrated, both by the consortium and by companies who can apply for funding in the open calls. The Digital Innovation Hubs and connected experts will support these innovation experiments. agROBOfood aims to connect the world of Robotics and Agriculture, R&D and business by establishing a sustainable network of Digital Innovation Hubs. Partners involved in the project will work closely with the broader European robotics community, ensuring synergetic effects with initiatives such as EU-Robotics. This will maximize the return of European investments, including private capital, in the digital transformation of agri food.
The agROBOfood network already consists of 49 digital innovation hubs and 12 competence centers and will grow during the project. The project consortium fuelling this growth has 38 partners, led by Wageningen University & Research. An Industrial Advisory Board will provide strategic guidance and also define priorities for the selection of solutions to be funded. Open Calls will attract additional Innovation Experiments and Industrial Challenges. There is €8 million available to the benefit of SMEs.
Wageningen University & Research – www.wur.eu/agrobofood
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