Smart AgriTech: How Robotics and AI redefine the Agricultural Landscape

The Kestria Agribusiness & Agriscience Global Practice Group has brought together leading experts from key regions to analyse how robotics, AI and emerging technologies are reshaping global agriculture. They discuss the opportunities and constraints shaping adoption, the pace of innovation across markets and the strategic decisions organisations must make to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

Key takeaways:

• Robotics and AI are accelerating the shift toward smart, data-driven agriculture.
• Automation improves scalability, efficiency and resilience across global food systems.
• Emerging technologies require new skills and stronger collaboration across regions.

Transforming core operations through Automation and AI

Remco Hill, Chief Operating Officer at Ontario Plants, Canada, states that the company is the largest propagator in North America, producing various plant crops across 50 acres for both Canadian and U.S. growers. ‘My role is to make our operations scalable and replicable. As part of an assessment group focused on high-quality, sustainable food production, we aim to expand these capabilities globally.

Scalability, supported by automation and software development, is central to my work. We are strengthening our processes with data, adding sensors and cameras and developing models to support IPM, quality control and germination management.

Our goal is to reduce dependence on specific individuals, making the operation more transferable and to create a replicable model for building facilities in other regions using the same systems and processes. To illustrate the scale of production, in the next 10 weeks alone, we will produce around 30 million plants and prepare approximately 1,500 truckloads for shipment after New Year’s, and in total, we produce between 60 and 65 million plants annually.

Henry Hsieh, Sales Director at Viscon Group, the Netherlands, explains that the company is in the technology sector with a long-standing focus on automation, having operated in this field for 98 years. ‘Viscon is structured into three main divisions: Plant Technology, which I oversee, as well as our Hatchery and Fresh Produce divisions. All three use shared technology platforms to provide automation solutions worldwide.

We are a growing company with just over 500 employees, operating a main facility in the Netherlands and another in Poland. As we expand and scale up, we naturally face some growing pains, yet technology remains central to our work and to our customers’ expectations.

The same applies to AI. While robotic arms and machinery represent the visible side of automation, the underlying models are essential to making them function effectively. Years ago, we established an internal software department to develop these models in-house and accelerate our processes. In our sector, automation, supported by AI, robotics, data collection and reliable information, remains a constant customer requirement.‘

Global perspectives on technological advancement

I am increasingly seeing AI-focused companies from Asia, developed in highly competitive, low-cost environments, moving into premium markets in the Americas and Europe with capabilities and price points that challenge North American incumbents—a trend worth discussing further.’

Fernando Manterola is the Founder and CEO of Watermind, Chile, a startup serving the aquaculture and ocean technology sectors with a focus on providing early alerts of harmful algal blooms for the salmon industry. ‘These blooms pose serious environmental and economic risks, and climate change has intensified their frequency and geographic spread. When microalgae reach salmon farms in high concentrations, they can cause severe fish mortality, making early detection critical.

With recent technological advances, we can now identify harmful algal blooms before they reach farms by combining high-resolution satellite imagery with machine learning. We also employ a hydrodynamic model of ocean currents and integrate data from in situ sensors and climate models to forecast where blooms are forming, how they will move and whether they may intensify.

Ultimately, our early-warning system enables farms to take preventive action, strengthening resilience in an industry vital to feeding a growing global population and providing an important source of protein.’

Michell Jabur is the Founder and CEO of Hural Tecnologia Ltda, Brazil, the company manufacturing systems and equipment designed for autonomous operation on farms. ‘At present, we produce an autonomous sprayer designed to bring practical automation to farms, particularly as labor shortages intensify in Brazil and worldwide. Robotic solutions are increasingly filling this gap, and we plan to expand our system beyond autonomous spraying to additional tasks. Our mission is to make food more affordable and production more efficient, delivering benefits at both local and global levels.

AI already contributes to smaller tasks and with greater system integration, we expect it to take on more complex decision-making. Our entire product ecosystem is built around this vision.

The impact of autonomy is already evident: replacing a 10–15-year-old tractor with a fully electric autonomous machine eliminates diesel use and reduces CO₂ emissions. Water efficiency also improves, and although harder to measure, reduced labor needs remain a significant advantage.’

What differences do you see between markets, and how can companies stay competitive where technology evolves rapidly?

Henry Hsieh notes that across their operating segments, they remain strongly positioned in the North American market for horticultural and agricultural innovation. ‘While the region is dominated by row cropping and open-field production, where US companies traditionally excel, in controlled environment agriculture our main competitors are other Dutch or European firms.

Overall, we are a strong and competitive player there. The reference to Asia, particularly China, is well placed; we have an office there and see an exceptionally rapid pace of technological development, as mentioned by another panelist, and we work with partners in that market.

Internally, we are recognising that in countries with a different pace of technological change, and given our identity as a technology-driven company, we may need to adjust our approach and move beyond a primarily export-led mindset.’

Michael Pareles agrees with Henry’s observation about the rapid technological progress in regions that have long served as hardware and OEM manufacturing hubs. ‘This acceleration became especially clear during the pandemic-driven decoupling, when companies cut off from Western customers advanced independently, particularly in southern China around Shenzhen, where development cycles and feedback loops are exceptionally fast. The competitive environment there is far more intense than what firms in the United States or Europe typically face.

Lower operating margins in these markets also drive the creation of more agile and cost-effective business models, which are now being exported from China, either under Western brands or as direct competitors.

Throughout my career, I have worked with many American and European companies pursuing export-led strategies in Asia. Increasingly, however, in my consulting work, I support Asia-based emerging firms—many AI-native—that are now challenging Western incumbents in their own markets after succeeding in low-margin environments that are far more competitive and fragmented.‘

Another obstacle is the closed nature of many systems. I would prefer to hire a sensor technician or optimise processes internally, but most technologies are so closed that even small adjustments require external specialists, raising costs and slowing progress.

Europe and the United States still have the potential to lead, but industries at this stage are often overtaken by external competitors. It is time to recognise this, open our systems and shift from protectionism to true collaboration.’

Adoption & investment challenges

What has been your experience with securing funding to advance technologies?

Fernando Manterola emphasises that they were fortunate to address a highly relevant problem and enter the market at the right moment, gaining customers from the outset and enabling organic growth without external funding. ‘This early traction was unusual and reflected strong initial decisions. Today’s funding environment is very different: capital is harder to access, and companies must prove value and unit economics much earlier. There is often a trade-off between rapid growth and a clear path to profitability, and we operate between these two models. AI-native companies with strong business cases are generally better positioned, while for many others, this is a challenging time to raise early-stage investment.

Our first business case required validation from the salmon industry, so demonstrating that we could reduce mortality was essential. I founded the company with my brother, a machine-learning engineer, after identifying harmful algal blooms as a major issue. Early conversations confirmed the need but required evidence, so we ran pilots and analysed past mortality events. The strong results secured our first customers and within the first year, we predicted a major bloom in advance, helping farms avoid losses. Because the industry is large but concentrated, these results spread quickly and drove our growth.’

What advice would you give on entering the Asian market and ensuring proper technology adoption?

Michael Pareles points out that Asia offers major opportunities for IP-driven Western companies, but also significant challenges in protecting intellectual property from low-cost local replication. ‘Securing a trusted partner, one who can be held accountable beyond local jurisdictions, is therefore crucial, especially in markets like China and India. More nuanced strategies are also emerging. As Henry noted, some companies are adopting a “China for China” approach, creating structures and partnerships that separate certain technologies or business lines to balance market access with IP protection, particularly in predominantly smallholder markets.

Singapore also plays an important role. Its strong support for technology and innovation, through R&D subsidies, tax incentives and operational stability, makes it a preferred entry point for Western companies establishing regional R&D and leadership while safeguarding IP within an “Asia for Asia” strategy.’

Remco Hill observes that IP remains one of their limitations and cannot be assumed to hold long-term value. ‘To advance, we must embrace external technological developments rather than rely solely on internal approaches. Real innovation will come from adopting ideas beyond our industry.

This requires stronger ties with universities, R&D centres and local startups. I am particularly interested in Singapore’s research ecosystem and how its advancements could support our work. Building barriers has never been effective; collaboration is essential.

Through our work with small growers worldwide, we see strong opportunities to partner with local innovators to improve future versions of our solutions. We are far from reaching our full potential; true innovation in this industry is only beginning.’

Talent, skills and the human factor in AgriTech

How do you approach hiring candidates in Asia and the United States, particularly when balancing academic qualifications with passion and practical experience?

Henry Hsieh indicates that there are clear differences in their hiring approach. ‘For entry-level roles, we follow a long-standing strategy built around a strong internship program, with two cycles each year. Interns work on a variety of projects and qualities such as creativity and passion are key. Despite our less central location and limited brand recognition, around 70% of interns apply for a full-time position after graduation, making the program highly successful.

For senior positions, the focus shifts to specific expertise. In our domains, it remains challenging to find leaders who combine controlled-environment agriculture knowledge with commercial experience, and this continues to be a difficult area for recruitment.’

Emerging technologies shaping the next era of Agriculture

How could these emerging technologies be adapted for other sectors in Brazil?

For Remco Hill, accurate weather models are particularly valuable for their operations. ‘While satellite connectivity is not a priority at the moment, it may become relevant as we expand into new regions. Our focus is on integrating sensors, monitoring systems, cameras and machine learning technologies. We collaborate with several startups testing solutions within the company and offer scholarships to technologically skilled students to explore new ideas without strict constraints, allowing us to learn from their outcomes.

Navigating the startup landscape can be challenging, but we maintain a dedicated innovation budget to experiment and assess whether these technologies can support our future development.’

Do you believe government support, such as in Singapore, is essential for advancing startup initiatives to their next phase?

Michael Pareles notes that the countries leading in AI are those with strong industrial policies and that it is a misconception to believe market forces alone determine where technology develops. ‘The dominance of the United States and China reflects decades of state-led investment and collaboration with universities and startups.

Singapore cannot match these funding levels, so it must be strategic in targeting parts of the technology stack where it can build global relevance. Taiwan illustrates this approach well: despite its size, it has become a critical hub for semiconductor design and production used across many technologies, including agriculture.

Singapore is positioning itself as a neutral hub—“the Switzerland of Asia”—where companies from the US, China and beyond can collaborate. Through government initiatives, it attracts AI talent and subsidises global AI centres of excellence. Companies such as Barry Callebaut and Louis Dreyfus have used these programs to establish their AI centres in Singapore to advance agricultural applications.

These dynamics create opportunities, but Europe cannot compete at the scale of China or the US. Governments, like companies, must therefore focus on niches where they can remain relevant.’

Summary

The sector is undergoing a fundamental transformation that demands new capabilities, new collaborations and a willingness to rethink long-standing practices. Ultimately, the future of agriculture will be shaped by those who combine technological ambition with practical adaptability, building systems that are more resilient, efficient and sustainable for generations to come.

The Kestria Agribusiness & Agriscience Global Practice Group is a strategic partner for organisations transforming food systems and advancing sustainable agriculture worldwide. Our expert consultants combine deep agribusiness knowledge with global reach to identify visionary leaders who drive innovation and resilient growth. We connect clients with leaders who can navigate this technological shift and strengthen the resilience, efficiency and sustainability of global agriculture.