Autonomous farm robots built in Central Queensland will receive a multi-billion-dollar boost in efforts to reduce agricultural emissions across Australia.
SwarmFarm Robotics, based in the regional town of Emerald, 270km west of Rockhampton, has designed and rolled out self-driving robots which reduce herbicide use by up to 95 percent and cut fuel related emissions by 35 percent.
SwarmFarm CEO Andrew Bate said a $7 million investment from CEFC would support the company’s growth as it scaled up the production of their autonomous robot technology which enabled precision weed control spraying and supported “no till” agriculture.
Mr Bate said that was a method that avoided disturbing the soil to preserve its structure and moisture, further reducing the environmental footprint of farming operations.
“Our SwarmBots are designed to be versatile platforms that can integrate a range of attachments from different partners, from precision sprayers to mowers, giving farmers the flexibility to adapt the technology to suit their needs,” he said.
“They’ve already been deployed in some of Australia’s most challenging environments, and this is just the beginning, we’re creating new farming systems from the soil up.”
He said putting smart technology in the hands of growers and providing more flexibility in addressing potential labour shortages in agriculture would help reshape the future of growing systems.
“This investment from the CEFC will accelerate our mission to transform agriculture through robotics.”
CEFC Head of Capital Growth Malcolm Thornton said SwarmFarm’s innovation offered a commercially viable, scalable solution, which was what the specialist climate investor’s Powering Australia Technology Fund was built to support.
“We’re backing the next generation of Australian made agricultural technology that gives farmers a smarter, cleaner way to manage their land,” Mr Thornton said.
“SwarmFarm’s platform transforms how food is grown, using less fuel, fewer chemicals, and minimal soil disruption.”
