Solving Agri-Food challenges with automation and robotics

Innovation activities are underway to develop new platforms that could save time and costs, and reduce labour requirements in the agri-food industry.

 

By Dr Liliya Serazetdinova, Knowledge Transfer Manager, AgriFood

With the world population predicted to reach almost 10 billion by 2050, there is a pressing need to boost productivity of the agri-food sector while maintaining high sustainability standards and low environmental impact. This is one of the greatest challenges for the industry, especially when labour costs are rising.

Automation and robotics are seen as one of the best potential solutions for these challenges, and innovation activities are underway that develop new platforms that could save time and costs, and reduce labour requirements.

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Market intelligence report forecasts that the worldwide market for agricultural robots will be growing with revenues will increasing from $3.0 billion in 2015 to $73.9 billion in 2024, at a CAGR of 43%.

In order to support these trends and grow productivity, the agri-food sector requires the right skills, especially engineering, and technology, and needs to invest in training and development of talent.

KTN is hosting two events looking at automation and robotics in the agri-food sector. These events will cover the challenges, success stories, and solutions required to develop new technological platforms that could help to increase agricultural productivity and address the needs of the agri-food sector post Brexit.

• 8th June – Northern Ireland
  Hilton Belfast Templepatrick Golf & Country Club, Paradise Walk, Castle Upton Estate, Templepatrick BT39 0DD
  This event will have more focus on the livestock and food processing manufacturing sub-sector needs, such as the application of robotics to automate operations in livestock abattoirs. It is supported by InvestNI.
  Find out more >>
• 4th July, Peterborough
  Kingsgate Conference Centre, 2 Staplee Way Peterborough PE1 4YT
  This event will have more focus on the needs of arable and horticultural sub-sector needs for automation and robotics to accelerate breeding, seed treatment, picking, harvesting, sorting, packing, and labelling.
  Find out more >>

You can also find other events of interest in our full listing of KTN events.