The University of Essex has secured national recognition for its pioneering agricultural robotics, with its Sustainable smArt Robotic Agriculture initiative winning Best Research Project (Industry Collaboration) at the AI & Robotics Research Awards 2026.
The accolade marks a significant milestone for the university’s robotics team, whose prototype harvesting system—first unveiled in October 2024—has been described as a potential “game changer” for labour-intensive fresh produce operations. The technology is capable of picking, weighing and packaging strawberries within seconds, offering a highly automated solution to ongoing workforce challenges across the sector.
Co-designer Dr Vishwanathan Mohan said the award reflects the team’s ambition to reshape food production in response to mounting pressures on modern agriculture, including labour shortages, rising costs and sustainability demands.
Since its initial development, the system has been further refined and adapted to handle additional crops, including lettuce, demonstrating its versatility across different growing environments.
The technology is already being deployed commercially, with robots in operation at Wilkin & Sons, the internationally recognised jam producer based in Tiptree near Colchester. It is also in use at JEPCO’s farm in Thorrington, located close to the university’s campus.
According to the award judges, the system harnesses artificial intelligence to automate “repetitive, labour-intensive tasks”, while simultaneously increasing yield, reducing waste and lowering carbon emissions—supporting more sustainable, localised food production.
The recognition highlights the growing role of advanced robotics and AI in addressing some of the fresh produce sector’s most persistent challenges, particularly as businesses continue to seek scalable solutions to improve efficiency and resilience across the supply chain.
