Agrobotics Di-Twins is a European project co-financed by the Interreg Sudoe programme, aimed at creating an innovative ecosystem to boost circularity and agro-robotics through the use of digital twins.
Málaga hosted the kick-off meeting of the European project Agrobotics Di-Twins, held at the School of Industrial Engineering of the University of Málaga. The event brought together representatives from universities, technology centers, business associations, and partner companies from Spain, France, and Portugal.
During the meeting, the consortium presented the project’s roadmap, which will run for 36 months, and outlined the first set of actions to be implemented in the coming months.
Moving Towards Agriculture 5.0
The project addresses a key challenge: enabling small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises (SMEs) in the SUDOE region to access and adopt advanced technologies such as robotics, artificial intelligence, and digital twins in their production processes.
This approach paves the way for a new model of Agriculture 5.0, combining environmental sustainability, production efficiency, and resource circularity. To achieve this, the consortium will focus on identifying critical agricultural processes, developing sustainable robotic solutions, and creating a transnational ecosystem that facilitates knowledge transfer and technological adoption.
A Diverse International Consortium
Agrobotics Di-Twins brings together a wide-ranging partnership of 13 partners and 3 associated partners from Spain, France, and Portugal, representing universities, technology parks, business associations, and companies.
Project partners:
- University of Málaga (Spain) – Project coordinator
- University of the Basque Country (EHU/UPV) (Spain)
- Miguel Hernández University of Elche (Spain)
- University of Huelva (Spain)
- University of Algarve (Portugal)
- Université de Limoges (France)
- Málaga TechPark (Spain)
- Data CoLab (L.C.S.D. – Associação Data Colab, Portugal)
- NERA – Associação Empresarial da Região do Algarve (Portugal)
- Aquitaine Robotics (France)
- OSFARM (France)
- FI Group (F. Iniciativas, Consultadoria e Gestão, LDA) (Portugal)
- ELATEC (France)
Associated partners:
- Cluster Machinisme (France)
- ASAJA Málaga – Asociación Agraria de Jóvenes Agricultores (Spain)
- AlgarOrange – Associação de Operadores de Citrinos do Algarve (Portugal)
This diverse consortium combines expertise in robotics, artificial intelligence, agriculture, sustainability, technology transfer, and business development.
First Actions and Next Steps
At the kick-off meeting, the consortium defined the first lines of action, which include:
- Developing a map of critical agricultural processes where robotics can help reduce environmental impact.
- Designing and validating pilot programmes based on digital twins, enabling SMEs to simulate and test solutions before full-scale implementation.
- Launching transnational Living Labs, collaborative spaces where farmers, researchers, and companies will co-create tailored solutions for the sector.
- Building a sustainable Agriculture 5.0 ecosystem, designed to endure beyond the project’s lifespan and facilitate the transfer of results to other European regions.
European Impact and Vision
Agrobotics Di-Twins aligns with major European strategies, including the Green Deal, the Farm to Fork Strategy, and the EU Circular Economy Action Plan. The project will contribute to reducing the environmental footprint of agriculture, optimising resource use, and promoting a more sustainable and competitive food production system.
With this first meeting in Málaga, the project officially sets out on a path to position the SUDOE region as a European benchmark in the adoption of robotics and digital twins for the agriculture of the future.