FarmBot – Open-Source CNC Farming [video]
This is pretty much how I see the future of agriculture. 
Give the FarmBot a bunch of wheels &#x2F; robotic feet  to move around and it could theoretically handle huge fields.<p>The key thing here is the possibility to monitor <i>each individual plant</i> and react to changes in its development or environment (in contrast to modern industrial agriculture, were things are done with huge monster tractors).<p>I&#x27;m sure it can&#x2F;will be improved to serve more functions - like removing weeds and collecting pests without the need for herbicides or pesticides and so on.<p>Eventually, these will all become software problems which the global programmer community will be more than glad to tackle.<p>The most important thing about FarmBot and similar tech, though, is the potential to de-centralize agriculture again and make small-scale, local agriculture possible, without needing to employ human labor.
Not only would this create a new market for high-tech agricultural tools and software and make growing your own food  easy (even in the city !), it is a very welcome solution to the many environmental problems that large-scale industrial agriculture generates today.<p>So I&#x27;m very optimistic and happy about this tech and I wish you guys all the luck.