DLG-Agrifuture Concept winners named

As part of the Agritechnica digital program that was held in place of an in-person trade show that was cancelled earlier this year, the first ever DLG-Agrifuture Concept awards were given to five farming concepts that experts think have the potential to change the face of agriculture.

The jury consisted of independent international experts appointed by the DLG. They selected the winners from a shortlist of 10 candidates, and presented the awards at a digital award ceremony held on February 15, 2022.

Some of the winners include an automated fruit picking system, a spot farming concept, and a hydrogen powered farm, among others.

The winners are:

'Controlled Row Farming' is a new arable farming method in which every crop is sown in a fixed row. Experts claim this method allows farmers to use less fertilisers and pesticides without compromising on yield.

By cultivating crops in a uniform row spacing of 50cm (grain in double rows) and including a row offset of 25cm for positive crop rotation effects, farmers can achieve high yield and maximum efficiency of farm inputs, the team explained.

The option of introducing companion planting between the rows of the main crop increases the value of the agricultural ecosystem, such as by reducing water evaporation and erosion.

Agritechnica 2022 cancelled

All-in-one carrier vehicle wins innovation gold medal

The “Spot Farming” concept focuses on the living and growing conditions of individual crops and managing the crops accordingly with the main aim of using less fertiliser and pesticides while still producing high quality yields.

For spot farming, the arable land is divided into small areas with similar characteristics. Autonomous agricultural machinery such as robots manages these areas according to location and individual plants. The use of small robots instead of tractors and conventional agricultural machinery also causes less soil compaction, hence helping to preserve soil condition. In addition, drones and satellites are used for needs-based cropping by regularly monitoring the condition of the plants and signal, for example, whether nutrients need to be added.

This concept comprises harvesting machines that use an innovative combination of wired drones and corresponding logistics solutions. The drones are equipped with wind compensation which ensures safe and efficient operation in most weather conditions. The drones have been designed to reach almost every fruit and harvest them without any bruising. They detect and grade the individual fruit in real time, enabling pre-sorting and selective harvest.

Information is transferred to the logistics system where several levels of automation are offered - from simple navigation systems for tractor drivers transporting the bins to fully autonomous carriers which places empty bins and collects full ones.

The concept can be integrated into existing harvesting operations and work processes. According to Kubota Germany GmbH, the benefits of the system are less food waste and a yield increase of 20 per cent.

The integrated drift management concept is based on information such as spray drift tendency, buffer zones and distance control shown on the labels of pesticides. When the pesticide is poured into the sprayer, the saved information is translated into an application map. At the same time, wind direction and speed are recorded in the field in real time.

If required, drift-reducing spray nozzles are activated and buffer zones and distance control are maintained, all automatically. The system records and saves all activities including weather information.

As the debate on climate change heats up, corporations and organisations are increasingly exploring ways to combat climate change, such as using alternative fuel. The H2-Agrar Project aims to identify the potential of hydrogen usage in agriculture.

Innovative solutions are underway showing that decentralised hydrogen production and use in agriculture can be economically successful. The project also aims to demonstrate how hydrogen-powered agriculture with corresponding hydrogen infrastructure can be integrated into an overall system of hydrogen supply and ‘sector coupling’.

“With this new concept award, the DLG is actively supporting pioneering ideas that lead the way to future global crop production,” said DLG Project Manager of Digital Agriculture, Florian Schiller.

“The new award focuses on the technical possibilities in the next five to 10 years and explores the realistic chances of implementation.

“We look forward to seeing more such future concepts at Agritechnica in 2023, which is the perfect platform for agricultural machinery innovations.”