News

Saga Robotics, a Norwegian company, achieved a record season in 2025 with its autonomous Thorvald robots across the US and UK, logging over 200,000 kilometers with 97% uptime. The robots, which treated vineyards and strawberries, eliminated significant fungicide use and CO₂ emissions while providing detailed crop insights. With new models and a data service, Saga Robotics aims to expand its market coverage and improve service quality.

Pamela Marrone's study highlights the growing role of biopesticides in sustainable crop protection, predicting they could rival chemical pesticides by 2040 due to benefits such as reduced chemical residues, delayed pest resistance, and lower environmental impact. Despite challenges like awareness and regulatory hurdles, success stories from Brazil and the EU demonstrate potential for wider adoption, driven by rapid regulatory processes, government support, and educational initiatives.

How can European agriculture navigate a turbulent global trade environment, balancing disruption from US policy, rising protectionism, and the evolving ambitions of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)?