The rise of the machines: robots and the future of farming

Drones, milking robots, driverless vehicles, intelligent sensors, bio-surveillance, data-sharing – the Swiss economics ministry is calling for farmers to embrace a “digital revolution”, marking a turning point in agricultural practices that is not without risk. Far from being science-fiction, modern tools which enable precision farming are already indispensable in delivering greater efficiencies and boosting productivity.Switzerland is at the heart of developments which have seen drones equipped with cameras capable of detecting disease or estimating the precise nutritional needs of large-scale crops, hydroponic lettuce grown in a soil-free environment fed by a cloud of 100% organic nutrients, or solar-powered robots that can target individual weeds and reduce pesticide use.