Wagga Wagga will be home to Australia’s first fully automated farm
A collaboration between Charles Sturt University and Food Agility Co-operative Research Centre will create the first “hands-free” commercial farming enterprise.
Charles Sturt University has announced it will build Australia’s first fully automated commercial farm, in collaboration with the Food Agility Co-operative Research Centre.
To be located on the university’s 1900-hectare AgriSciences Research and Business Park property, on its Wagga Wagga campus, the project will be completed over the coming three years.
It aims to demonstrate the future of farming through use of robotics, artificial intelligence and new sustainability and carbon models.
The build will include data, telecommunication and other digital infrastructure, autonomous machinery, AI that informs sowing and harvesting decisions, cybersecurity advancements and sensor technology.
CSU professor of Food sustainability Niall Blair said the project, called the Global Digital Farm, would be used for commercial, educational and community-outreach purposes.
“This ambitious and unique project will arm Australia’s primary industries workforce with knowledge and technology in crucial fields like data analytics, geospatial mapping, remote sensing, machine learning and cybersecurity,” Professor Blair said.
Food Agility chief executive Richard Norton said the reality of “hands-free” farming was closer than many realised.
“Full automation is not a distant concept, there are already mines in the Pilbara operated entirely through automation,” Mr Norton said.
“Food Agility, Charles Sturt University and the Riverina will be at the forefront of that transformation in Australia courtesy of the Global Digital Farm.”
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