Wednesday Editorial: The Rise Of Robotics In CEA

Every week discover an editorial on a trendy topic in the indoor farming sector.

Will BB-8, R2D2, or C-3PO Become The New Indoor Growers? Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash

Good morning readers, robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) have had a profound impact on the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) sector.

The integration of these technologies has led, in some cases, to improved efficiency, productivity, and cost-effectiveness, enabling a new era of indoor and vertical farming. Companies are now providing fully autonomous plant factories, leveraging the benefits of CEA and robotics to provide a constant supply of fresh produce.

However, despite the potential benefits, several challenges must be overcome, including the high cost of acquiring such technology, the evolving regulatory environment, concerns about job loss, and rising energy costs.

Nevertheless, the use of AI and robotics in agriculture has the potential to revolutionize the food supply chain and offer new opportunities in agriculture.

Special thanks to Rudy Van Den Berg of Artechno Growsystems & Travis Parman of AppHarvest for their valuable insights.