In the first article of the series of contributions from partners on their areas of expertise and initial results of AgRimate, our coordinators from TECNALIA Research and Innovation showcase the important overview of how augmented reality (AR) tools can help small farmers in their daily lives in the field.
“Across the European rural landscape, a quiet crisis is unfolding. Those who hold the expertise required to tend the land are retiring, and there are too few young people to carry on their legacy. According to Eurostat’s Farm Structure Survey, 57.8% of EU farm managers were aged 55 or older in 2020, while only 11.9% were under 40, and the average age of farmers rose from 55 to 57 between 2010 and 2020 (Eurostat, Farmers and the agricultural labour force). At the same time, small farms still dominate the EU’s agricultural landscape: 62.8% of the bloc’s 8.8 million holdings are under 5 hectares (Eurostat, Farms and farmland in the EU, 2023), meaning that most European farmers simply cannot absorb the cost of losing skilled labour or replacing it with expensive machinery built for large-scale operations.
Authors:
- Leire Bastida – Lead of the Visual and Multimodal Interaction Platform and the Augmented Interaction research line in Tecnalia. An expert in the cross-sectoral application of emerging technologies, she has extensive experience coordinating European projects focused on the digital transformation of different sector, including the agricultural sector.
- Ana Moya – Expert in managing research projects in Tecnalia focused on immersive technologies and multimodal interaction. Proven track record of implementing innovative solutions across various industries, with a strong emphasis on the digital transformation of the agricultural sector.
- Tatiana Bartholomé – Researcher at Tecnalia, specializing in human-centred design, user experience, usability, and stakeholder engagement in innovation projects. She has extensive experience in European R&D initiatives, supporting the adoption of emerging digital technologies and user-driven innovation across sectors, including agriculture.
