Within the context of its development in the French market, Naïo Technologies gives great importance to surrounding itself with players in the field of agriculture who wish to offer innovative and farsighted solutions for the farmers in their region.
A look back on the interview with Jean-Baptiste JOOS, Head the Innovation and Precision Agriculture project for the Advitam Group, a new Naïo Technologies partner via its Verhaeghe machine subsidiary.
Can you tells us in a few words about the Advitam Group and its subsidiaries?
The Advitam Group is a co-operative group, a major player in agriculture in the Hauts-de-France region.
Set up by farmers within the Uneal Co-operative, the Advitam Group has diversified around new activities creating value for its subscribers, linked to its land:
- A retail outlet for general consumers specialising in products for the garden and animals (Prise Direct’, Gamm Vert);
- A wholesale division offering alternative services and advice for farmers who do not work within a co-operative;
- A feed division which structures and develops local production in the region;
- A machine division offering a full range of machines, tools and services responding to farmers’ needs. The hub now comprises three companies present in the Hauts-de-France region: Verhaeghe, Casa Service Machine and Mapp, covering the sale and maintenance of market leaders in the field of agricultural machinery and mechanised farming.
What is your role within Advitam?
I’m the Innovation and Precision Agriculture Project Leader. My role is to develop synergies within the Advitam Group in order to offer the farmers in our region innovative solutions in agricultural machines and precision agriculture to respond to their demand and the evolution of agricultural practice.
How does the partnership with Naïo fit into this?
The partnership with Naïo is within the context of the robotics project driven by the Group’s machinery pole, in synergy with the Uneal Co-operative and the wholesaler Ternoveo. By collaborating alongside Naïo Technologies, the aim is to develop skills regarding robotics in order to bring new solutions for the farmers in our region, forming a partner relationship with a major market player.
You’re launching an experiment campaign: can you tell us about the programme for 2021?
The 2021 programme is as follows:
- Experiencing the Naïo Technologies robotics solution on our farmers’ premises, combined with our technical, agronomic and machine expertise on our region’s crops;
- Assessing this experiment campaign in order to have quality feedback on the performances of the solution and on the interest of these robots for farms in the Hauts-de-France region.
What does this experiment consist of, practically?
This experiment is being carried out on two plots of sugar beet, each measuring one hectare. We have been over the land three times with the Dino robot. This has allowed us to take over from the first conventional pass by the farmer.
We have used various tools for this. At first, we fitted Dino with discs, L-knifes and hoe blades. Then, for the second pass, Dino worked the soil with the L-knifes and hoe blades. Finally, it carried out the third pass fitted with hoe blades and finger hoes.
In the coming weeks, we will continue our experiment using Dino on a parcel of green beans.
