Continental showed the Contadino implement carrier prototype at Agritechnica. The fully autonomous robot can be used for seeding, weeding, spraying, fertilising and monitoring.

John Deere and Volocopter introduced the first large drone adapted for agricultural use at Agritechnica.

By employing so-called deep-learning systems for crop recognition, machines that can combat weeds site-specifically with a minimum of labour and/or chemicals are getting ever closer.

This piece draws on recent findings on mechanization in Sub-Saharan Africa and reflects on how these trends can play out on farms and in the rest of the value chain over the next 20 to 30 years.

John Deere presented a new concept tractor during a dealer event in Spain. The tractor is autonomous, has an electric drivetrain, is equipped with tracks and articulated steering.

Claas, John Deere and 365FarmNet say they are introducing the first direct, manufacturer independent cloud-to-cloud data connection for the agricultural industry. A major step forward that will be welcomed by many farmers and contractors.