Growing food is one of our most fundamental human activities, and it’s the core puzzle underlying our societies. As more people are freed up from farm work, our societies grow and we need yet more food.  

Today, that tricky equation also includes robots. Australia faces a labour shortage in the agriculture sector for a variety of reasons, and the already razor-thin margins on many farms are only growing sharper. Enter: AI, sensor drones, self-driving tractors and a whole host of other high-tech tools.  

But are they too costly for smaller farms? What happens when a multi-tonne robot dies in the field? And what kind of workers will these robotic farms of the future need to run smoothly? 

Professor Salah Sukkarieh, the Professor of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, has been at the forefront of robotics for twenty years. His own machines have been used on Australian farms, and his sights are also set internationally, where he hopes powerful machines will help self-subsistence farmers keep up. He explains what’s happening on Aussie farms already, how farm owners are managing the tech transition, and shines some light on the advancements to come.  

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The Solutionists is podcast from the University of Sydney, produced by Deadset Studios. Keep up to date with The Solutionists by following @sydney_uni Facebook, and Instagram. 

This episode was produced by Liam Riordan with sound design by Jeremy Wilmot. Supervising producer is Sarah Dabro. Executive editors are Kellie Riordan, Jen Peterson-Ward, and Mark Scott. Strategist is Ann Chesterman. 

This podcast was recorded on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. For thousands of years, across innumerable generations, knowledge has been taught, shared and exchanged here. We pay respect to elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.