At Agritechnica 2025, experts and practitioners discussed the opportunities and challenges of digitalization in agriculture. One thing became clear: Digital tools such as application maps or autonomous robots offer great potential – but without solid knowledge and reliable data, their benefits remain limited. Simple “plug and play” solutions are rare; willingness to learn and practical experience are essential.
“Every tool is only as good as its application”
“Every tool is only as good as its application,” emphasized Dr. Hartmut Matthes, Managing Director of the German Association of Contractors (BLU), during the panel discussion “Digitalization in Practice – Opportunities and Challenges” organized by the DLG Committee on Digitalization, Work Management and Process Technology on Sunday, November 9, 2025, at Agritechnica in Hanover. While digital application and yield maps are useful tools, “many decisions must still be made by the farm manager himself,” Matthes continued. And anyone who wants to use digital solutions in agriculture must be willing to learn: “Simple plug and play usually doesn’t work,” Matthes stressed.
Crop production knowledge remains indispensable
Prof. Dr. Patrick Noack, Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University and Chairman of the DLG Committee on Digitalization, agreed with the BLU Managing Director: “You cannot manage an arable farm without crop production knowledge just because you have an application map,” said the scientist. Nevertheless, he sees many opportunities in innovative, AI-based technologies: One must simply be aware that AI systems require extensive training to function well – just as farmers spend years in school, apprenticeships or university before successfully running a farm. In addition, AI applications must be supplied with high-quality data – otherwise the principle applies: “bullshit in, bullshit out.”
Digital Maps as a Decision-Making Tool for Land Evaluation
Jörg Schrieber, farmer from Lower Saxony and deputy chairman of the DLG Committee, also emphasized the central importance of good data. Even digital solutions such as Google Earth Pro or similar applications can be very helpful for farmers when facing investment decisions: If an entrepreneur wants to purchase additional land or lease new fields, they must first evaluate them. “These fields have often been managed very differently – with plowing or without. Digital solutions can provide insights into their condition,” said Schrieber.
Practical Experience with the AgBot
Practitioners who have already gained experience with innovative technologies in the fields of digitalization, robotics, and automation shared their insights at the new Digital Farm Center at Agritechnica 2025. Alexander von Meer, a farmer and contractor from the Rhineland, purchased the AgBot from AgXeed in 2024. His farm now has considerable experience with the system and knows its strengths and weaknesses. Von Meer spoke about his experiences with the AgBot during a practitioner session on the DLG Expert Stage Digital Farming. His conclusion: “There is no task that is fundamentally impossible for the AgBot.”
Simple Handling, More Complex Transport
Before working on a field, the area must first be measured individually and then uploaded to the robot’s portal. After that, a specific task – for example, “shallow cultivating, medium-depth cultivating, or deep cultivating” – can be selected, explained von Meer when describing practical work with the AgBot. Attaching implements to the robot is generally straightforward. However, loading the autonomous helper for transport to its work site takes around 20 minutes. For farms with fields spread far apart, this is time-consuming, as the AgBot must be reloaded and transported to each new location, von Meer summarized.
Soil Protection and Optimization Potential in Sensor Technology
The farmer highlighted the robot’s soil-friendly operation as a particular strength. This advantage allows the AgBot to work even on wet ground. However, von Meer sees room for improvement in object detection along its path. For safety reasons, the AgBot stops when it detects an obstacle. This mechanism, however, is also triggered by branches swaying in the wind or birds several meters away that would “fly off anyway” as the robot approaches. Adjustments to sensitivity and recognition of common objects could prevent unnecessary stops – and save the owner from receiving alerts on their smartphone, having to visit the site, and restart the robot.
Looking Ahead: A Second Robot Is Possible
Overall, Alexander von Meer is impressed with his autonomous helper: He is even considering purchasing a second robot, he said during his talk on the DLG Expert Stage Digital Farming.
Text: Stefanie Pionke / DLG Newsroom
