Neural Networks and Robots Boost Crop Yields in Siberia

Russian farmers are turning to drones, automated sprayers, and berry-picking robots to overcome harsh climates and labor shortages.

In the Siberian region of Tomsk, farmers are using advanced IT tools to significantly improve harvests — proving a direct link between digital innovation and profit. The company “Severny Sad” has deployed a domestically produced drone for field mapping and monitoring soil and crop health across all stages of plant growth.

Other tools in use include robotic sprayers and autonomous mowers for clearing rows between plants. Harvesting is handled by a berry-picking machine that can clear 0.3 hectares of fruit in an hour and about 3 hectares per shift — a sharp contrast to traditional hand-picking labor.

These high-tech upgrades were made possible through government support, part of Russia’s national strategy to digitize agriculture. In neighboring Altai, the company “Sibirskoye” grows sea buckthorn on an industrial scale and is now preparing to add honeysuckle to its lineup. Meanwhile, Severny Sad is offering to share its robotic solutions with fellow producers.