SwarmFarm and Westpac have teamed up to transform the farming industry
I think we all had a feeling this was eventually coming.
In an attempt to transform the farming industry, Queensland-based startup SwarmFarm Robotics has agreed to a partnership with Westpac Agribusiness to develop robot technology for the farm.
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SwarmFarm, located in the small central Queensland town of Gindie, is an agricultural robotic company intends to use robots in crop production which will improve productivity, lower costs, increase production and reduce the environmental impact.
The company plans to use swarms of small, light-weight, low-cost autonomous machines to perform a multitude of agricultural tasks.
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The deal will allow SwarmFarm to fulfill its goal of complete commersialisation, making the cost-cutting technology accessible to Aussie farmers.
“The strategic partnership between SwarmFarm and Westpac Agribusiness is a perfect fit, with both being front runners in innovation and agriculture,” said Campbell Newman, former Queensland Premier and current SwarmFarm board chairman. “Westpac Agribusiness are bankers, but they also have a very strong passion for and knowledge about farming.
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“To support agriculture, an agribank must have a network of people on the ground who know and understand both the people and the business.”
And it doesn’t just end in Australia. Newman believes even though the partnership will transform Aussie agriculture, the business also intends to export the technology to other parts of the world.
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“We don’t want this to be snapped up by a large international company; our aim is to pursue it in Australia so the technology, software and the know-how stays in Australia.
“We’re delighted that a financial organisation like Westpac Agribusiness is supporting us with its reputation, knowledge and understanding of innovation in sustainable agribusiness.”
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