Autonomous regenerative agriculture: Swarm robotics to change farm economics

Al-Amin, A.K.M.A., Lowenberg‑DeBoer, J., Franklin, K., Dickin, E.T., Monaghan, J.M. and Behrendt, K. (2025) Autonomous regenerative agriculture: Swarm robotics to change farm economics. Smart Agricultural Technology, 11. ISSN 27723755 (In Press)

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Abstract

Regenerative agriculture (RA) with mixed cropping is suggested to promote soil health. Combining crops with livestock adds another element of the RA paradigm. The simplest mixed cropping system is strip intercropping but use on conventional mechanized farms is limited by higher labour and capital investment. The objective of this study was to assess the comparative competitiveness of RA practices with and without livestock operated using conventional mechanized farm with human drivers and swarm robotics. Modelling livestock component considered intensive cattle feed using harvested forage because grazing in narrow strips is difficult. The profit maximizing optimization model of a 500 hectare (ha) British West Midlands farm found that per annum profitability of regenerative strip intercropping system was £56.88 ha−1 higher for farm operated using smaller swarm robotics than farm operated using smaller conventional mechanization with human drivers. The conventional whole field sole cropping system operated using larger machines with human drivers returned £128.36 ha−1 per annum less than regenerative strip intercropping operated using swarm robotics. Adding livestock component with crop only regenerative strip intercropping system resulted negative return per annum (- £26.72 ha−1). The added labour for livestock rearing, forage and manure transport, and higher machine costs challenged competitiveness of regenerative system with livestock. This reinforcing the need to more completely automate public road transport and intensive livestock rearing. Results indicate that swarm robotics have potential to change the cost calculus of RA practices, while livestock integration needs careful cost-effective designs to reinforce farm profitability.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Autonomous machines, Crop robots, Agricultural mechanization, Mixed cropping, Strip intercropping, Farm management, Profitability
Divisions:	Engineering
Depositing User:	Miss Anna Cope
Date Deposited:	24 Jun 2025 12:38
Last Modified:	24 Jun 2025 12:38
URI:	https://hau.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/18233

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