The “AI Real-World Laboratory for Agriculture” (RLA) project pursues the sustainable transformation of agriculture through the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. It addresses key challenges of the “triple planetary crisis” – climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental pollution – and focuses on establishing a real-world laboratory that combines research, development, and application under real-world conditions.
The consortium consists of leading scientific institutions and practical partners in Lower Saxony, including the University of Osnabrück, DFKI, Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, Agrotech Valley Forum, TU Braunschweig, Thünen Institute, Leibniz-ATB, and the Lower Saxony Arable Farming Network. Together, they are developing interoperable AI and robotics building blocks, legal frameworks, and practical use cases.
The central infrastructure is the “FieldLab Agrar” in the district of Osnabrück, which serves as a research, demonstration, and education site. Three use case projects focus on biodiversity monitoring, semi-autonomous agricultural machinery, and novel agricultural processes using autonomous robots.
The project integrates technical, legal, social, and economic perspectives and promotes young talent, diversity, and international networking. The project aims to establish Lower Saxony as a leading location for AI in agriculture.
Partners
- Universität Osnabrück (UOS) - Hochschule Osnabrück (HSOS) - Agrotech Valley Forum e. V. (AVF) - Technische Universität Braunschweig (TUBS) - Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut (TI) - Leibniz-Institut für Agrartechnik und Bioökonomie e.V. (ATB) - Netzwerk Ackerbau Niedersachsen e. V. (NAN)