The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA) are collaborating to promote foundational research in agricultural robotics. The agencies have issued a Dear Colleague Letter to invite research proposals aimed at developing robots that could significantly transform farming practices.
This collaboration is driven by a mutual understanding of the important role that robotics can play in addressing agricultural and food production challenges, including the growing demand for food and the need for precision agriculture. By combining resources, NSF and USDA aim to support interdisciplinary research that addresses agricultural challenges and promotes sustainability.
The joint funding opportunity will solicit proposals for research projects that align with the objectives of both the NSF Foundational Research in Robotics program and USDA NIFA. Proposals submitted under this initiative will be rigorously evaluated by both agencies.
“This partnership represents an opportunity to leverage robotics to address critical challenges in agriculture,” said Michael Littman, director of the NSF Division of Information and Intelligent Systems. Daniel Linzell, director of the NSF Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation, added, “This collaboration between NIFA and NSF highlights the value of our ongoing partnership and our commitment to foundational robotics research for the agriculture sector.”
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