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Robotics and innovation at the heart of agriculture

Robotics, the future of agriculture in New Aquitaine, France and Europe? For some years now, innovations in traditional sectors have been making significant changes in everyday life. Agriculture is one of those sectors concerned, especially with the impetus of Agri Sud Ouest Innovation. This competitiveness cluster is an engine of the territorial innovation ecosystem and enjoys the support of other South West players. A progress that is changing the trades in agriculture, especially in the proximity.

Robotics and technology for tomorrow’s agriculture

New technologies enable the development of facets of agriculture,in order to meet the constraints of professionals and the needs of consumers. Robotics and innovation are therefore levers of progress for these sectors that find themselves in the spotlight. This is a highlight at a time when the problem of “better eating” and local consumption is a challenge in French and European households.

Agri Southwest Innovation works in collaboration with the MIN toulouse, Naïo Technologies and the INRAE centre in Toulouse on these issues. Together with these partners, it aims in particular to accompany the rise of short food circuits. With the pandemic, French consumers are more likely to turn to local producers. A way to eat fresh produce, which does not come from the other side of the world… But also to support the local economy, which is being undermined by the current situation.

To support this influx of applications, agricultural professionals need help, especially with digital and robotic tools. Needs in particular to manage logistics, an essential point to sell its products easily around its operation. To do this, Agri Sud-Ouest Innovation is partnering with Digital 113 and We4Log in an approach to the emergence of digital solutions to address these logistics management problems. From this association was born the FoodLogProximity platform.

This platform offers solutions to producers to improve their supply chain, and thus meet consumer demands. In Occitania, they are particularly involved in local consumption. Each producer can thus, through this platform, expose his problem, his development brakes. The platform’s goal? Support local producers in the development of robotics and digital solutions to remove barriers in their business.

Accelerating funding for agriculture through robotics

Agri Southwest Innovation has a strong legitimacy to accompany the emergence of new technologies in the service of local agriculture. With the support of Naïo Technologies, the cluster formulates its roadmap for research and development. This roadmap makes it easier to mobilise French or European public funding. He is also participating in an initiative of Naïo Technologies, FIRA (International Forum of Agricultural Robotics) whose last edition was held on April 15, 2021 in digital format.

For the past five years, this major meeting of agricultural innovation has made it possible to present new robotics products in the service of agriculture. This event allows solution carriers to showcase their robotic innovation to farmers around the world. Robotics makes it easier for farmers around the world to do their day-to-day tasks. Whether it’s for the quality of the products grown, the analysis of the soil or robots facilitating sorting and harvesting… There are as many solutions as there are needs. New technologies and robotics have made their way, and are no longer fiction.

More locally, in the South West of France, Agri Sud-Ouest Innovation and INRAE Toulouse are working together on the Occitanum approach. The latter aims to unite pilot territories; that is, territories that use the robotics solutions offered on their farms. This concept makes it possible to better evaluate digital technologies in the agro-ecological transition, as well as the problem of local food. If these tests are conclusive, the technologies could be extended to wider areas.

In France and Europe, these steps do not go unnoticed. Indeed, the question of innovation in a traditional sector such as agriculture arises for local production. Consuming local, a new economic challenge…

Legitimacy and presence rooted in the agricultural innovation landscape

Agri Southwest Innovation’s reputation is well established. Indeed, the cluster makes it possible to realize innovations that rely on digital technologies to the agro-ecological transition. In particular, he is a founding member and director of the RobAgri association, which aims to develop the agricultural robotics sector in France. It also positions itself on biosolutions. He is also a member of two consortiums coordinated by INRAE: Biocontrol and PlantAlliance.

At the European level, it also contributes to the porting of the DIVA programme for the acceleration of digital and robotic solutions for agriculture and agri-food. This program has made two calls for projects. Of the 400 applications, 134 were selected, with a total support of 2.7 million euros. Europe is more than ever ready for innovation in the service of agriculture through robotics… An impulse initiated by the South West of France.

Sources:

  1. AGRI SOUTH-WEST INNOVATION at the heart of government aspirations, press release issued March 4, 2021
  2. Improving the management of the supply chain of local food circuits through digital in Occitania – FoodLogProxitimy
  3. FIRA Open Day 2021 – Agricultural Robotics Free Online Event
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