Make automation technology relevant to growers, says report

Five years ago, advancements in automation in horticulture were mostly a dream.

But so were the likes of university assignments that write themselves, hit songs performed by computers and virtual fitness instruction from your home treadmill.

Technology continues to find new niches, right across the board. And that presents a huge opportunity for growers and processors who take action now and capitalize on the potential, according to a new report from the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre.

Earlier this year, the centre brought together 26 horticulture stakeholders, including nine from The Netherlands and three from the U.S., to discuss the state of horticultural automation, to create connections and develop opportunities for future research collaboration.

Their goal was to understand challenges and opportunities facing automation, how the companies see the best opportunities and how they can be connected to enhance impact for the sector.

Most of them and the 22 companies they represent were not even in business five years ago. They’re seeing the present and the future through a new lens, including the need to collaborate to validate automation technology. That’s a key theme that arose during discussions.

“Validation is about building trust for your technology, demonstrating not only its functionality but also its usefulness and reliability while providing a return on investment,” according to the Vineland report, which was issued in March 2023.

The report says technology validation will advance with trials at commercial facilities or through workshops and product demonstrations. The concept of building collaborative pre-commercial testing sites across different regions and countries was strongly supported by participants and provides a pathway to resource- and knowledge sharing to increase collaboration.