CLAWS techology helping growers to tackle staffing issues

But it would be fair to say that CLAWS, their autonomous field robot, stands to do much more than that, as it tackles some of the most pressing challenges faced by modern farmers.

We spoke to James Miller, CEO of Earth Rover, to get an insight into how CLAWS can transform organic and conventional farming practices, making them more efficient, sustainable and profitable.

Addressing key challenges with CLAWS

CLAWS – which stands for Concentrated light autonomous weeding and scouting – is designed to address two primary challenges in farming: weeding and crop monitoring.

Weeding can be a labour-intensive and time-consuming task, one which often poses significant difficulties for farmers.

“There are a number of challenges thrown up for a farmer, not least labour availability,” says James.

“Manual weeding requires substantial labour, which can be hard to find, especially during peak seasons. Additionally, adverse weather conditions can hinder weeding efforts, making it difficult to maintain weed-free fields.”

CLAWS offers a viable alternative for farmers who prefer to avoid chemical herbicides, either due to resistance issues or a commitment to organic farming.

“We can get onto the field with CLAWS, zap each of the weeds with a small pulse of light, which kills the meristem of the weed, and make sure that weed doesn't grow back,” James says.

This method eliminates the need for chemicals and ensures effective weed control, contributing to healthier crops and soils.

Beyond weeding, CLAWS excels in crop monitoring. Originally developed for its scouting capabilities, CLAWS provides human-eye-level crop monitoring on a per-plant basis.

“We can give the farmer his data on every single plant in his field, whether it's count, quantity, size, or even general health through NDVI [normalised difference vegetation index],” says James. This detailed data collection allows farmers to make informed decisions about crop management, optimising yields and improving overall farm productivity.

 

Adopting CLAWS 

The process for farmers interested in adopting CLAWS is designed to be straightforward and user-friendly. In fact, CLAWS requires minimal training to operate. 

“Obviously, this is an autonomous field robot, so it should work on its own. But as with all equipment, it needs setting up,” James says. This setup process involves programming the robot via a mobile phone or tablet, specifying field plots and crop types. Once programmed, CLAWS operates autonomously, performing its tasks with precision.

James says modern farmers are generally well-equipped to handle such technology.

“There isn't a single youngster out there who doesn't know how to use a mobile phone or fly a drone, and this is very similar in that respect.” This familiarity with technology means the learning curve for CLAWS is relatively gentle, making it accessible to a wide range of users.

Overcoming barriers to tech adoption

Despite the benefits CLAWS offers, James acknowledges there are barriers to technology adoption in farming. 

“One significant barrier is trust. Farmers have probably been looking at these technologies for many years, and not all of them have worked. So there is definitely a trust element there,” he says. Farmers need to see tangible results before committing to new technology.

To build this trust, Earth Rover focuses on extensive demonstrations and real-world trials.

“The more demonstrations we do of this technology, the more people go, 'Oh, that looks like it’s going to work. More importantly, that's going to work on my farm'.”

Positive word-of-mouth among farmers also plays a crucial role in overcoming scepticism. 

“Farmers speak to farmers. So if it works, they'll tell them. If it doesn't work, they'll certainly tell all their friends as well!” 

Financial investment is another barrier, but grants are available to help.

In fact, James tells us the farmer who commissioned the very machine he's working on – and stood by for our interview – received a 50% capital equipment grant to offset the challenge of a lack of labour availability for his crop.

“The support that farmers have been able to get or can get in the future is coming in the form of either productivity grants or adoption grants,” James adds. 

“And these grants can significantly offset the cost of CLAWS, making it a more viable option for many farmers.”

 

Skills and support for tech adoption

Adopting CLAWS technology requires some new skills, but Earth Rover ensures that farmers are well-supported throughout the process. “Throughout the entire beta phase we're running through now, and in the future, we will basically handhold every single farmer and grower until they're comfortable with operating CLAWS on their own or with their team on the farm,” James says.

This comprehensive support includes training on setup and operation, as well as ongoing assistance to address any issues that may arise.

The skills needed to adopt CLAWS are largely related to basic technological proficiency. Farmers need to be comfortable using mobile devices to program and monitor the robot. However, Earth Rover's intuitive interface and user-friendly design make this process straightforward.

“We can set up all the fields, all the plots and all of the crop types on the mobile phone or tablet app, including where and when it's got to go, and then set it off and running,” James says. This ease of use ensures farmers can quickly integrate CLAWS into their operations without extensive training.

The future of farming 

Looking ahead, James says he can see a future where technology plays an increasingly vital role in farming.

“Over the next decade, you're going to see a number of things. The ever-increasing challenge on labour, both in terms of availability and cost, is going to be a continuing trend that farmers have to address.” 

Additionally, as regulations around chemical use become stricter and herbicide resistance grows, the need for alternative weed control methods will become more pressing.

“As we progress to further and further bans of chemicals, or the weeds grow more and more herbicide resistance, you will see more and more of this type of technology,” he says. CLAWS' ability to effectively manage weeds without chemicals positions it as a crucial tool for sustainable farming.

Visit the Earth Rover website to find out more about how CLAWS uses controlled pulses of light to kill weeds in organic crops.