Transforming Agriculture with Smart Farming: A Comprehensive Review of Agriculture Robots for Research Applications

Abstract

Agriculture is paramount in India, serving as a critical sector for ensuring food security, nutritional well-being, long-term development, and poverty reduction. However, in recent times, the migration of youth and individuals in search of alternative employment opportunities, coupled with urbanization, has created a labor shortage in rural areas. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic and extreme weather conditions have posed challenges for crop phenotyping in research fields across large areas. To address these issues, technology emerges as a crucial solution. Given the magnitude of the challenges anticipated in ensuring future food security, new technologies will play a pivotal role. Technological advancements have historically aided Indian agriculture in overcoming productivity stagnation, establishing market linkages, and improving farm management. These technologies have the potential to address critical concerns faced by Indian agriculture, including declining overall productivity, depletion and degradation of natural resources, increasing demand for high-quality food, stagnant farm incomes, fragmented land ownership, and the impacts of climate change. The adoption of technology has demonstrated the ability to modernize farmers’ production processes, leading to consistent returns, reduced risks of crop failure, and higher yields. Robotics in the twenty-first century present opportunities to tackle age-old farming challenges. This review covers the ongoing research, development, and innovations in robots for research applications and smart farming, encompassing their concepts, principles, advantages, and limitations. © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.