Saga Robotics is expanding its footprint in strawberry production across the UK, notably with Thorvald. The company has scaled operations to cover an area four times larger than last season through strategic expansion and partnerships with nine leading strawberry growers in Great Britain.
Thorvald, originally developed at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, operates across various agricultural settings, including farms, greenhouses, tunnels, orchards, and vineyards. The goal is to transform farming into a more service-oriented, profitable industry that produces higher-quality, more affordable, and healthier food.
The Latest Thorvald 3 Robot
The new Thorvald 3 is a versatile robot designed to enhance crop management safety. It autonomously performs crucial tasks such as planting seeds, crop spraying, and data collection, allowing farmers to dedicate more time to planning and improving their operations.
Saga Robotics highlights, “A single Thorvald 3 robot over its lifetime can sequester greenhouse gases equivalent to approximately 3,000 mature trees annually, reducing emissions by about 150 tonnes.”
Thorvald 3’s Role in Strawberry Farming
Thorvald 3 utilizes UV-C light at night to combat plant diseases like powdery mildew, eliminating the need for pesticides and enhancing the safety of strawberries for consumption. This approach also reduces costs, providing significant benefits to farmers.
Collaboration with University of Lincoln
In partnership with the University of Lincoln, Thorvald develops advanced data collection systems and crop forecasting models using machine learning. These technologies enable early disease detection and proactive management strategies.
Additional Innovations
Thorvald employs a predator distribution system, releasing beneficial insects such as predatory mites to naturally control pests, further enhancing sustainable farming practices.
Industry Impact and Success Stories
Saga reports substantial reductions in pesticide use (60-90%) and a 40% return on investment for strawberry farmers adopting robotic technology. Sandy Booth, a satisfied user, notes, “Shifting to non-chemical crop protection through robotics supports our environmental goals and promotes innovation and sustainability.”
Robotic Strawberry Harvesting
Beyond crop management, robots like those developed by Tortuga AgTech and Organifarms streamline strawberry picking. These robots utilize cameras and specialized gripping mechanisms to harvest ripe strawberries efficiently and hygienically.
Advanced Farm employs robotic arms with silicone hands to delicately harvest strawberries by twisting them from their stems, accelerating the harvesting process.
These advancements underscore the niche yet transformative role of robotics in modern agriculture, aiming to optimize efficiency, sustainability, and crop quality in strawberry farming.
