The Zukunftslabor Agrar (Future Lab Agriculture, ZLA) project, a collaborative initiative aimed at revolutionizing agricultural practices through digitalization, is concluding after five years of intensive research and development. Spearheaded by several research institutions in Lower Saxony, including the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), the project has explored innovative concepts like Spot Farming, which seeks to optimize crop yields while promoting environmental sustainability.
Spot Farming challenges the conventional agricultural paradigm that typically relies on large, uniform fields cultivated with a single crop type. Instead, it advocates for a more nuanced approach, treating fields as heterogeneous areas where different crops can be planted based on their specific growth conditions. Professor Jens Wegener from the Julius Kühn Institute, a co-developer of Spot Farming, emphasizes the necessity of this method in the face of climate change and resource limitations. “In the future, resources for such a blanket approach will be limited. The goal of Spot Farming is to grow different crops where they find optimal growing conditions. This will make them more resilient, increase yields, and help protect the environment,” Wegener stated.
The ZLA project has made significant strides in realizing the potential of Spot Farming. Researchers developed an agronomic method to identify varying growth conditions within a field using publicly available geodata. This led to the creation of a tool that automatically generates field maps, pinpointing specific areas suitable for cultivation by robots. Additionally, a prototype of a universal seed drill was designed at TU Braunschweig, capable of planting seeds at optimal distances and adaptable to robotic systems.
However, a recent review of the project has unveiled a significant challenge: the lack of consistent digitalization across the agricultural sector. Many agricultural businesses still rely on outdated practices, such as submitting mandatory documentation to authorities via mail. This gap in digital integration hinders the full realization of advanced agricultural technologies, including the implementation of Spot Farming.
Data accessibility is a crucial factor in this digital transformation. Benjamin Kisliuk from DFKI highlighted the need for a “digital twin” of the farm—a virtual representation that requires accurate geodata for effective operation. Unfortunately, access to such data varies significantly across states, with some regions like North Rhine-Westphalia offering easy downloads, while others, such as Lower Saxony, impose bureaucratic hurdles that complicate data retrieval.
The ZLA project has also revealed that many farmers are still reliant on manual data collection methods rather than automated systems. The Thünen Institute’s analysis of data flows between agricultural producers and regulatory bodies found that much of the reporting is not fully automated, leading to inefficiencies. Joachim Hertzberg, spokesperson for the ZLA project, stressed the need for unified digital interfaces that facilitate smoother interactions between farmers and authorities, akin to the processes used for tax returns.
Beyond technological advancements, the social dynamics of adopting new agricultural practices play a pivotal role. Professor Silke Hüttel from the Georg-August-University of Göttingen pointed out that skepticism among farmers remains a significant barrier to the acceptance of digital technologies. Her research indicates that farmers are more likely to embrace autonomous robots if they perceive them as effective and reliable, without adding to their workload. Positive public feedback can also enhance their willingness to adopt these innovations.
The ZLA project, which commenced in October 2019 and received funding of 3.7 million euros from the state through the zukunft.niedersachsen fund, involved collaboration among various institutions, including Osnabrück University, the Julius Kühn Institute, and the Thünen Institute. As the project wraps up, its findings underscore the critical need for a cohesive digital strategy within the agricultural sector, alongside efforts to foster acceptance of innovative practices among farmers. The future of agriculture may hinge on overcoming these challenges to fully leverage the potential of technologies like Spot Farming.