As with most agricultural innovations, new technology becomes truly useful only when it is clearly understood by the people working the land. While AgRibot continues to develop advanced robotic systems, the project is also focused on making those developments accessible and relevant to farmers, not just through technical explanations, but through practical, field-based knowledge.
To support this, AgRibot contributes to the EU CAP Network, a well-established European platform that connects farmers, researchers, advisors, and policymakers through shared knowledge and best practices. One of the Network’s key tools is the publication of practice abstracts, which translate research and innovation activities into clear, farmer-friendly insights that can be applied in real farming conditions.
These practice abstracts are written in clear, non-technical language and are based on direct reporting from AgRibot’s pilot sites. Partners involved in the trials describe the technology from a farmer’s perspective – what problem it addresses, how it operates in the field, and where it may offer practical benefits. The first AgRibot practice abstract focuses on Pilot Case 3: Robotic-Assisted Dynamic Fertilisation Management in Leafy Vegetable Production, currently being tested in Italy.
Reporting from the pilot site, Angelo Ugenti from POLIBA explains how this system is designed to support more precise fertiliser use in open-field leafy vegetables. As discussed in our previous blog, excess fertiliser can move beyond the root zone under changing weather conditions—running off into surface waters, leaching into groundwater, or being lost as nitrous oxide gas. These losses affect both the environment and farm efficiency, especially when input costs are high and regulations continue to evolve.
In this pilot, robotic platforms equipped with advanced sensors and data-driven models assess crop growth and nutrient demand during the season. Rather than applying a uniform fertiliser rate, the system supports variable-rate fertilisation, adjusting inputs based on what the crop actually needs at different points in the field. The aim is not to apply more fertiliser, but to apply it more accurately – reducing waste, limiting nutrient losses, and supporting consistent crop development. In practice, this can help farmers use inputs more efficiently while maintaining yield potential.
The full practice abstract is available in both English and Italian and offers a clear, field-based explanation of how the system works and what is being tested.