Raptrac: protecting our soil with smart technology
Regenerative agriculture is seen as a promising approach to sustainable food production. It protects the soil, promotes biodiversity and increases the resilience of agricultural systems. But it remains a niche. Many methods are currently too expensive and inefficient for widespread and economically viable use.
Electric, autonomous, gentle on the soil
An innovative technology could be the solution. The Swiss company Raptrac has developed a fully electric, modular implement carrier for vegetable and cereal cultivation. Weighing around 600 kilogrammes, the field robot is significantly lighter than conventional tractors, making it much gentler on the soil. Thanks to a range of attachments, it can be used flexibly for a variety of tasks, from soil preparation and sowing to crop maintenance and transport. In the medium term, the implement carrier is set to drive autonomously, controlled via an app – this offers farmers the benefit of noticeable time savings. With support from Migros Pioneer Fund, the technology is being put into practice and developed further. The aim of this funding is to lay the foundations for scaling up the project.
From a niche model to resilient agriculture
Raptrac’s goal: to make regenerative agriculture more economically attractive, both for farms that already operate sustainably and for conventional farms. For the former, the device opens up new opportunities to reduce workload and production costs. For conventional farms, it can offer an alternative or a complement to existing mechanisation, thereby facilitating the gradual transition towards more sustainable agriculture. And we all benefit from this: when soil is protected and sustainable farming methods become more economically viable, this strengthens the foundations for a resilient Swiss agricultural sector and, in turn, our food supply.
Raptrac: protecting our soil with smart technology
Find out more about this Migros initiative - perhaps it's just what you're looking for?
Photo: © Raptrac