In a significant development for the agricultural technology sector, the FarmRobo iMog has been crowned the Ag Robot of the Year 2025. The announcement, made by René Koerhuis, editor of Future Farming, took place during the 9th edition of the World FIRA in Auzeville-Tolosane, France, on February 6, 2025. The iMog, a multipurpose electric robot designed for smallholder farms, was selected from a pool of 11 initial candidates and 5 finalists.
The jury, comprising Future Farming editors, a university researcher specializing in robotics and precision agriculture, and farmers from around the world, highlighted several key factors that led to the iMog’s victory. The robot’s affordability, with a price tag of €12,000 (US $12,840), and its market readiness, with 20 units already operational by the end of 2024, were significant contributors to its success. The iMog’s versatility, facilitated by its vision steering and compatibility with various implements, further enhanced its appeal. The jury also noted the robot’s potential to significantly impact the lives of smallholder farmers, aligning with the core mission of the Ag Robot of the Year award.
The expert jury evaluated the finalists based on five criteria: originality/technical breakthrough, feasibility/market readiness, potential to impact farmers’ lives, ease of farmer uptake, and sustainability. The other finalists included Nature Robots Lero.03, Odd.Bot Maverick, Siza Robotics TOOGO, and Traktorarvid Drever 120. The jury’s selection process ensured that the winning robot met the standards set by Future Farming and World FIRA for praxis-ready, farmer-friendly, profitable, and scalable field and harvest robots.
The implications of the FarmRobo iMog’s victory are substantial. As the winner, the iMog will be featured prominently in the promotion of World FIRA 2026, and Future Farming will offer a canvas of the robot adorned with the Ag Robot of the Year award logo. Additionally, JoJo’s Vineyard, run by jury member Ian Beecher-Jones, will present the winners with a bottle of their finest wine. The recognition underscores the iMog’s potential to revolutionize smallholder farming by automating various agricultural tasks, thereby enhancing efficiency and productivity.
In addition to the expert jury’s choice, the public had the opportunity to vote for their favorite robot between January 14 and February 2. The public’s favorite, announced at World FIRA, was also the FarmRobo iMog. This dual recognition from both the expert jury and the public highlights the iMog’s broad appeal and potential to transform agricultural practices.
The Ag Robot of the Year award aims to assist farmers worldwide in selecting the right type of robot for their operations. The winners were announced during World FIRA on February 6, 2025, in Auzeville-Tolosane, France. For those marketing field and/or harvesting robots for outdoor crops and aiming to be eligible for the Ag Robot of the Year award 2026, ensuring their robot appears in the Future Farming field robot buyers’ guide is crucial.