[Global “Agri-Talk”] More Than One Robot: The Power of European-Style Cooperative Agricultural Technology (AgTech)

[Global “Agri-Talk”: Capturing the Future of Agriculture] Kim Gi-cheol, Head of the Europe Office of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City

At Europe’s agricultural expos, cutting-edge equipment immediately catches the eye. Robots that remove weeds on their own, equipment that counts blossoms and fruit on orchard trees to vary fertilizer application, and even AI systems that adjust feed amounts for each individual animal. But the distance from the exhibition hall to the farm is farther than one might think. These machines are expensive and used only for short periods, there may be no one available to repair them when they break down, and in many cases their data does not connect with existing equipment. That is why in Europe, organizations that enable machines to be used together are considered just as important as advanced farm machinery itself.

Organizations for sharing machinery, CUMA
A representative example is France’s cooperative for the shared use of agricultural machinery, 'CUMA'. As of 2025, there are more than 9,200 of them across France, with 182,000 farmers participating. That is nearly half of all French farmers. Members jointly purchase not only tractors and harvesters, but also expensive facilities such as precision seeders, mechanical weeders, and composting facilities. More than 1,400 cooperatives directly employ staff as well, handling driving, maintenance, work scheduling, and even technical training together.

The first advantage of shared use is cost. Instead of one farm tying up a large amount of money in equipment used for only a few days, multiple farms fill the usage time and lower fixed costs. Its greater strength lies in technology selection. By pooling demand from multiple farms, a cooperative can test new equipment and hire specialists. Once performance is verified, the technology is spread through joint training. In other words, even the risks of adopting technology are shared.

Germany’s 'Maschinenring' began from the same philosophy. In 1958, family farms that found it difficult to purchase expensive agricultural machinery on their own started by linking each other’s machines and labor. Today, 230 regional organizations connect 178,000 farms, and the farmland they connect amounts to about 40% of Germany’s farmland. This organization identifies which farms or contractors have what equipment and operating capabilities, connects them with farms in need, and also provides support for busy-season operations and settlement, as well as training and management assistance.

From metal to data
Recently, the scope of shared use has been expanding from machinery to software. The digital service 'MeinAcker' operated by Germany’s Maschinenring handles plot-by-plot farming logs, fertilizer prescriptions, farm work requests and settlements, and supporting documents all in one place. Regional organizations do not simply distribute the app; they help with initial setup and training, and staff who understand both agriculture and regulations solve problems. What digital agriculture needs is not another screen, but a trustworthy helper nearby.

The Netherlands’ nonprofit cooperative 'JoinData' goes a step further. Farm data flowing to milking robots, feed companies, accountants, and government agencies can be viewed by farmers on a single screen, and they can directly approve or withdraw who may use it, for what purpose, and for how long. As agricultural technology(AgTech) spreads, control over data determines farm competitiveness. If changing equipment means past data can no longer be used, or management information is utilized without the farmer even knowing, technology can become not an asset but a form of dependency.

Shared use does not succeed on its own
Of course, shared use does not succeed automatically. When sowing and harvest are concentrated on the same day, it must be decided in advance who gets priority, how travel·cleaning·charging time will be calculated, and who will bear responsibility for breakdowns and accidents. Usage fees by hour or by area, rules for changing reservations, operator qualifications and insurance, and data ownership must also be clear. A good cooperative is not a gathering that relies on personal ties, but a management organization equipped with rules and professional personnel before conflicts arise.

From a rental business to a service
Korea already has 447 agricultural machinery rental centers and experience with farm work outsourcing through the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation. The direction we now need to move toward can be summarized in one sentence. 'from a business that rents out machines' to 'a service that provides work results'. It is not enough to place one autonomous weeding robot in a village. Farms with similar crops and work schedules must be grouped together, skilled operators must be trained, and transport·maintenance·insurance·reservation·settlement must be turned into a single service. Instead of a robot, farmers should be able to purchase outcomes such as 'weeding 1 hectare of field' or 'precision spraying for an orchard'.

The evaluation criteria for government support must also move beyond the number of units distributed. Equipment utilization rates, work cost per area, downtime due to breakdowns, labor hours saved, reductions in pesticide·fertilizer use, and farmers’ control over their data should be treated as performance indicators. If local agricultural cooperatives and farming associations are supported in comparatively testing equipment from multiple manufacturers and creating shared data rules, even small-scale farms will be able to use the most advanced technology.

The core of European-style cooperative agricultural technology(AgTech) is not that every farm owns a robot. It lies in using good technology at the right time, solving breakdowns together, and protecting the rights to the data generated in the process. The smallest unit that changes the future of agriculture may not be a single machine, but an organization of farmers that enables machines to be used properly.