Robotics and climate tech set to drive the future of food in 2026
Agrifood systems worldwide are continuing to undergo significant change. With climate variability intensifying and margins tightening, farmers and agribusinesses are under more pressure than ever to do more with less. Despite these challenges, the industry’s entrepreneurial spirit continues to thrive, driving fresh thinking and innovative solutions to enhance the future of food production.
What agrifood tech innovations are set to make the biggest impact in 2026? We asked our users to share their thoughts, and two themes clearly stood out: robotics, and carbon and climate solutions.
Check out the six organisations related to robotics and carbon and climate solutions which are turning ideas into actions and continuing to drive change across local and global agrifood systems in 2026.
NEXT-GEN ROBOTICS: TRANSFORMING FARM PRODUCTIVITY
It’s no secret that automation, robotics and mechanisation hold the key to increased efficiency across the agrifood supply chain. The Australian Government’s National Robotics Strategy highlights the growing importance of automation, estimating that robotics and related technologies could contribute up to $600 billion annually to gross domestic product (GDP) by 20301.
Rising operational costs and labour shortages are major drivers for farmers looking to robotics to complete routine tasks such as spraying, weeding and harvesting.
At the same time, on-farm applications of these solutions are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Robotic technologies are now integrating sensors, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and data analytics to create fully connected smart farming systems.
FIELDWORK ROBOTICS
In a bid to tackle ongoing labour shortages and rising harvesting costs, UK-based Fieldwork Robotics has developed the world’s first autonomous raspberry harvester. Using AI-enhanced 3D cameras, sensors and machine learning, the system picks fruit gently and with precision. The system is adaptable to other high-value soft fruits, including blackberries, strawberries and tomatoes.
With strong commercial traction, including a partnership with Costa Group, the company is exploring further expansion opportunities in the Australian market.
RIPE ROBOTICS
Australian start-up Ripe Robotics has created a commercial prototype to harvest stone fruits (plums, peaches and nectarines) as well as apples. The system uses specialised suction grippers and AI vision to evaluate fruit size, colour and quality during picking. Embedded data collection will support future capabilities, including thinning, pruning, spraying and on-farm sorting.
Following prototype trials in Shepparton, Victoria, the company is now working to scale its fleet for wider commercial deployment.
4AG ROBOTICS
Based in Canada, 4AG Robotics has developed a fully autonomous, computer vision-guided robot to pick, trim and pack agaricus mushrooms. The system can attach to a farm’s existing Dutch Rack shelving and delivers end-to-end harvesting, with no need for residual harvesting tasks or responsibility. Through AI-powered automation, 4AG Robotics enables mushroom growers to boost productivity with minimal labour requirements.
As of April 2025, the robots are deployed with six customers across three continents, including Australia.
CARBON AND CLIMATE SOLUTIONS: DRIVING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
Australian agriculture contributes around 18% of the nation’s total greenhouse gas emissions, placing the sector under increasing pressure to demonstrate active management of its climatic impact2. From 2025, stricter regulations will require larger companies in Australia to report on their climate and carbon risks across the supply chain, creating strong incentives for environmentally-focused innovation in agriculture.3
Agtech has a role to play in potential solutions, where the focus moves beyond enhancing productivity on-farm to supporting long-term climate resilience and carbon management. The convergence of agtech and climate tech is producing solutions that deliver real and practical benefits for both farmers and the environment, including reduced fertiliser use, increased links to renewable energy sources and soil carbon sequestration.
CARBONAUGHT
Carbonaught is a Queensland-based start-up using enhanced rock weathering – a process which accelerates natural rock breakdown to capture atmospheric carbon dioxide, often by spreading finely crushed silicate rocks (such as basalt) on agricultural land. Enhanced rock weathering works with existing agricultural systems, resulting in improved soil health, reduced inputs, stronger crop yields and permanent carbon removal.
Carbonaught has pilot programs underway cross the United States and Australia with a focus on grains, horticulture and sugar.
CETOGENIX
Based in New Zealand, Cetogenix focuses on converting organic waste and complex feedstocks into renewable carbon resources.
Cetogenix’s modular platform uses advanced hydrothermal oxidation to produce biomethane, ‘green’ ammonia, biogenic carbon dioxide and clean water. The technology can process a wide range of organic wastes, offering flexible, circular solutions to the agriculture, aquaculture and food processing sectors.
The company is seeking partners to co-develop and deploy its containerised renewable carbon systems in Australia.
SEA-NERGY
Sea-Nergy is an Australian organisation that has developed a cost-effective and simplified method of ‘green’ hydrogen production. It uses natural microbial and catalytic reactions to produce green hydrogen from renewable biomass (seaweed and cane) and seawater. This process generates clean hydrogen in addition to high value by-products such as desalinated water and nutrient-rich seaweed for food and livestock feed.
Sea-Nergy is currently seeking investment to build and scale its prototype hydrogen production units for agriculture, aquaculture and food production.
As we look ahead to 2026, these innovations represent the most-viewed solutions within the robotics and carbon and climate themes on the growAG. platform this year. While they capture a snapshot of the sector’s momentum, they’re only a fraction of the ingenuity at play. Across Australia and internationally, countless developers, researchers and startups are advancing technologies that push the boundaries of automation, sustainability and climate resilience.
If you’re exploring opportunities, scouting emerging trends or searching for the next breakthrough, the growAG. platform hosts a wide range of solutions aligned to these themes, plus many more. Dive deeper and discover what’s next on growag.com.