Automating Agroecology: How to Design a Farming Robot Without a Monocultural Mindset?

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Robotics
• Agroecology

Background:

• Current agricultural automation focuses on monocultural systems, neglecting diversified, ecology-based farming.
• There is a significant gap in exploring robotic applications for agroecological approaches to crop production.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the potential of robots in fostering agroecological crop production.
• To investigate how automation can meet the demands of highly diverse agroecological cropping systems, using pixel cropping as a case study.

Main Methods:

• Engaged specialists through discussion groups, workshops, and design challenges.
• Explored various automation scenarios, from fully automated to analogue prototypes.
• Focused on the case of pixel cropping in The Netherlands, a method involving diverse crop assemblages and agroecological practices.

Main Results:

• Identified a spectrum of potential robotic applications, including collaborative and analogue systems.
• Highlighted the need to embed agroecological ethos into automation design to balance production with ecological and social care.
• Found that automating agroecological systems necessitates a rethinking of automation beyond human replacement.

Conclusions:

• Automation in agroecology requires designing tools that embody ecological principles.
• A necessary shift in automation is needed, embracing analogue and hybrid agricultural work alongside robotics.
• Future design processes must be inclusive, iterative, and incorporate feedback from diverse stakeholders and systems.