Technology for more sustainable industrial practices
The industries that recognize they have the greatest impact on the environment are those that are taking the most steps to develop more sustainable practices. Constrained by a legislative framework, companies must increasingly integrate sustainability values into their strategy.
In the ecological transition, the agricultural industry has a key role to play. Both increasingly aware and regulated, it is embracing new sustainable practices and entering a new era driven by technological innovation.
How agricultural tools are driving change
Robotics to the rescue of crop production
To protect the environment and preserve natural resources, regulations are pushing farmers to reduce the use of phytosanitary products that affect consumers, soil, water systems, and biodiversity.
However, reducing these inputs often means more labor-intensive, time-consuming tasks, such as weeding and mulching. Technological innovations are now making it easier to adopt practices that respect natural resources, improve consumer safety, ensure operator well-being, and increase farm competitiveness.
Autonomous mobility in cultivated fields
Constantly evolving, agricultural robots are equipped with advanced technologies such as image recognition, visual perception, geolocation, and artificial intelligence. These programmable machines adapt to farmers' needs and can perform strenuous tasks autonomously, precisely, and efficiently.
These robotic solutions replace manual labor, helping to align environmental responsibility with economic performance by improving productivity while minimizing ecological impact.
Automation of agricultural tasks
On farms, robots help manage weed control, eliminate mulching, reduce working hours, and cut the cost of weeding. They also make it possible to reduce or eliminate chemical herbicides and optimize seed distribution, resulting in healthier, more resilient crops.
In both organic and conventional farming, automatic weeding reduces pesticide use and helps reallocate labor hours to more valuable tasks.
Examples include:
- Oz and Dino, programmable robots from Naïo Technologies, automate difficult tasks like weeding, hoeing, sowing, planting, and furrow marking in vegetable and orchard production. Each robot can be equipped with various tools for multiple operations, ensuring precise mechanical weeding.
- Vitibot, a driverless straddle robot for vineyards, addresses economic, ecological, and social challenges. It dramatically reduces herbicide use while maintaining productivity even amid labor shortages.
Vitibot robots are powered by I&W electric drive motors, run autonomously on 100% electric energy, and emit zero CO₂ a responsible solution for the modern vineyard. - Vitirover is a versatile robot used in vineyards and orchards to mow grassy terrain. It eliminates the need for harmful pesticides and protects soil, biodiversity, and consumer health. The robot is solar-powered and autonomous.
- CEOL is a multi-functional, adaptable robot designed for autonomous sowing, fertilization, weeding, and harvesting. With a hybrid engine, it emits four times less fossil energy than a conventional tractor.
As agriculture transforms, farms of all sizes benefit from integrating autonomous agricultural robots, offering ecological, economic, and social advantages.
Technology serving natural resource conservation
As agricultural production evolves, aquaponic farms offer a sustainable alternative to intensive farming through closed-loop production, limited resource use, and localized outputs.
Aquaponics: A closed-loop sustainable system
Aquaponics is a symbiotic agricultural system that produces both plants and fish. The hydroponic plant system is nourished by fish waste, which acts as a natural fertilizer. In turn, plants filter and purify the water, which is then returned to the fish tanks.
This self-sustaining system relies on oxygen and biological processes like nitrification, where aerobic bacteria convert ammonia into nitrates.
A key factor for viability is basin oxygenation. To optimize these chemical processes, air compressors and bubble diffusers must operate continuously to maintain system balance.
Thanks to these simple yet effective technologies, the agricultural industry can implement sustainable practices that support local and national food production. Aquaponics offers multiple advantages:
- Natural resource preservation: The closed-loop system significantly reduces freshwater use. Water cycles through plants and fish continuously with minimal input.
- Environmental and public health benefits: Aquaponics requires no pesticides, thus avoiding soil and water pollution and associated health risks.
- Soil rest and protection: As a soil-free system, aquaponics prevents the degradation associated with monoculture and chemical inputs.
- Local, responsible production: Highly adaptable, aquaponics can be installed anywhere, including rooftops and urban areas. This supports short supply chains and reduces transportation needs.
While still not widespread, aquaponic farms represent a promising blend of industrial agriculture and ecological responsibility.
Agriculture needs technological disruption
The agricultural sector must adopt disruptive technologies to systematically implement environmentally respectful practices.
In recent years, precision robots and innovative tools have emerged to support the shift toward agroecology.
BIBUS France actively contributes to this transformation by providing high-performance solutions such as I&W electric drive motors and Secoh air compressors.
These technologies are essential in enabling agricultural stakeholders to meet environmental, economic, and societal goals in a changing world.