agROBOfood is a European Union Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme project aiming to build a European ecosystem for the effective adoption of robotic technologies in the European agri-food sector and accelerates the digital transformation to make the European agri-food sector more efficient and competitive. AGENSO participates in the project that involves 39 partners from 7 Regional clusters in 16 countries.
The heart of agROBOfood project is formed by Innovation Experiments, organized and monitored by Digital Innovation Hubs. In 7 Regional Clusters, Initial Innovation Experiments will demonstrate robotics innovations in agri-food, in a manner that ensures replicability and wide adoption across Europe. Digital Innovation Hubs will support companies in digitization by connecting various stakeholders. In addition, agROBOfood will launch "Open Calls" through which it will attract and fund additional Innovation Experiments and Industrial Challenges.
AGENSO will help in the development of a demonstrator robot for detecting mycotoxins, which are dangerous for health and can be found in any grain depending on genotypes and environment. The overarching aim of this Innovation Experiment is to accurately detect and pinpoint mycotoxins in situ in maize fields, as well as contribute to de facto standards in variable-rate spraying. This specific IE aims at sidesteping olfactometry technology into agricultural applications and building a demonstrator that maximises in situ mycotoxin detection and sprays precisely and only where needed, while at the same time decreasing the environmental and financial impact of spraying against mycotoxins.