UK to open world's first agri-robotics centre

The University of Lincoln in the UK has been awarded nearly £6.4-million in government funds to create the world's first robot farming centre.

The money will support the creation of what is claimed to be “the world’s first centre of excellence in agri-robotics”. The new facility “will look at how robots can tend, harvest and quality control high-value crops with minimum human intervention”.

Researchers will look at how robots can tend, harvest and control high value crops without the need for human workers.

The Lincoln Agri-Robotics centre will be based at the University of Lincoln’s Riseholme Campus, which already has a working farm and laboratories.

Professor Mary Stuart, Vice Chancellor at the University of Lincoln, said: “We are delighted to receive this important backing from Research England via the E3 fund, which will enable our scientists to continue supporting our food and farming industries into the future.

“We will be able to scale up our work tackling pressing issues facing the food chain, from improving agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability to addressing the demands of a growing population.

“It is testament to the exciting work of our researchers that Lincoln has been selected as the home of the world’s first centre of excellence in agri-robotics.”

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