The Dutch Ministry of Agriculture is set to revolutionize the agricultural landscape with the launch of the ‘Robot Seeks Farmer’ initiative. This ambitious project aims to accelerate the adoption of field robots in open-field crop farming, addressing critical challenges faced by farmers today. More than 130 farmers have eagerly signed up to test seven different robots in real-world farming conditions, collaborating closely with Wageningen University. The initiative is part of the Dutch National Fieldlab for Precision Farming (NPPL) project, which has been instrumental in helping farmers and growers integrate new technologies like precision farming and robotics.
The ‘Robot Seeks Farmer’ initiative, supported by Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and the government, seeks to answer two pivotal questions: where does on-farm robotics stand today, and where should we be in a decade with 10,000 arable farmers? The rationale behind field robots is compelling: they could tackle five major challenges in open-field farming—soil compaction, labour shortages, the phase-out of chemical crop protection, emissions reduction, and yield optimisation. NPPL-R will evaluate how these essentially market-ready field robots can be seamlessly integrated into Dutch arable farming practices.
The initiative has three categories of participants. First, there are farmers who will receive a robot for an extended period, sometimes the entire 2025 season, to conduct intensive tests under the guidance of WUR specialists. Second, demo farmers will participate in short-term trials with robots or other precision farming technologies. Lastly, there are more passive participants—farmers invited to observe robots in action at other farms, potentially in study group settings. This structured approach ensures that a wide range of farmers can engage with and benefit from emerging technologies.
The annual NPPL Day marked the launch of the first farmer-robot pairings. Marijn Vermuë, an arable farmer, will host the AgXeed robot year-round at his farm in Werkendam. The research will focus on the robot’s field performance, preparatory workload, soil compaction compared to conventional tractors, labour savings, and economic feasibility. Stef Ruiter will test the iQuus system, a retrofit kit that enables tractors to operate autonomously. Around 15 demo farmers will also test iQuus for several weeks, marking the first step in automation by making existing machinery smarter.
The Ekobot, Robotti, and Andela Electro Weeder are also in high demand. Farmers are eager to explore the Trabotyx robot, which NPPL is now evaluating. The NPPL website will provide updates on additional robot participants and cropping techniques. In 2025, NPPL will actively monitor robotic innovations in horticulture and greenhouse farming, including harvest robots for tomato and asparagus production. Drone seeding applications and regenerative agriculture practices, such as crimp rollers and strip seeding, are also under investigation.
The robots and research areas cover a diverse range of innovations. The AgXeed robotic tractor, iQuus autonomous tractor retrofit, Ekobot weeding robot, Andela Electro Weeder, Agrointelli Robotti, Auto Agri, and Nature Robot are just a few examples. Research areas include variable, site-specific spraying and fertilisation, grassland management, drone seeding trials, minimal-chemical defoliation, precision seeding, green energy, minimal tillage, and mechanical weed control. Applications in greenhouse and open-field horticulture, as well as trials in fruit production and cost-benefit analyses, are also part of the initiative.
Each robot and research field comes with its own set of research questions. For the AgXeed, the focus is on capacity, implement use, precision, data exchange, user interface, safety, energy consumption, and labor efficiency, as well as the impact on soil compaction and biodiversity. The iQuus will explore the business case for driverless operations and how autonomous tractors and intelligent implements can collaborate to enhance reliability, precision, and efficiency. The Ekobot WEAI, an AI-powered precision weeding robot, will be evaluated for its ability to reduce manual labor, replace herbicides, and collect field and crop data. The Andela Electro Weeder, a tractor-mounted electric weed control system, will be assessed for its capacity and effectiveness in weed control. The Agrointelli Robotti and AutoAgri, autonomous implement carriers, will be evaluated for their usability, safety, energy consumption, and reduction of chemical inputs.
In addition to robots, NPPL-R focuses on applications such as drone seeding, variable spraying and fertiliser spreading, grassland management, strip tilling, green energy, and responsible data usage. The initiative represents a significant step forward in the adoption of robotics in Dutch agriculture, promising to address critical challenges and pave the way for a more sustainable and efficient future.