The Role of the Academy

The agricultural sector faces mounting pressure to innovate in response to economic challenges, climate impacts, and evolving social and political landscapes. Farmers increasingly rely on advanced technologies to drive efficiency, automate production, and reduce costs to sustain their businesses.

However, secondary school agriculture curricula has been slow to adapt, often lacking integration of smart farming strategies such as artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and robotics. As these technologies become integral to modern agriculture, a significant skills gap has emerged within the workforce. There is a strong demand for data literate professionals capable of leveraging technology for improved decision making. This gap is further widened by an aging workforce and persistent misconceptions about agricultural careers, making it difficult to keep and attract younger workers.

The Academy addresses this gap by offering hands-on experience with modern ag tech, equipping students and educators with essential skills and encouraging careers in agricultural technology.

View the video below for additional context and hear testimonials from student participants in the Farm Robotics Challenge - our collegiate level competition.

Prizes & Awards

  • Celebrate your hard work and creativity at the Farm Robotics Academy!

    Winning teams will gain international recognition at the prestigious Farm Robotics Challenge Awards Ceremony on May 20, 2026.

    But the excitement doesn’t stop there, top performers will also be invited to face off against our elite college-level competitors. Outshine them, and you’ll be eligible for significant cash prizes and opportunities to present your innovations at leading industry conferences.


    Showcase your talent, challenge the best, and take your achievements to the next level!

    The award categories are below:

  • Best in show! Awarded to the team that builds the most innovative and commercially viable project.

  • Awarded to the team that best utilizes the Amiga robot in their project.

  • This award will be presented to the team whose innovation best meets the needs of specialty crop growers (fruits, nuts, vegetables).

    We encourage you to access this resource: https://agtechtoolkit.com to learn more about challenges in the specialty crop world. Note, the toolkit does require you to establish a login to get access to the reporting.

  • Awarded to the team best utilizes and advances AI capabilities.

  • Awarded to the team that best meets the needs of the small holder farmer.

  • Awarded to the team that excels in creating a design that has a clear impact on environmental sustainability.