Farming in Two Worlds: Integrating Physical and Digital Agriculture – Lecture by Prof Salah Sukkarieh

2025 Hector and Andrew Stewart Memorial Lecture by Prof Salah Sukkarieh

All members of the public are invited to attend this exclusive lecture hosted by The UWA Institute of Agriculture. It will be delivered by Salah Sukkarieh, Professor of Robotics and Intelligent Systems at the University of Sydney, and focused on ‘Farming in Two Worlds: Integrating Physical and Digital Agriculture‘ at UWA Bayliss Lecture Theatre G33.

Drawing on current research and implementation, the talk will highlight how real-time robotics in the field, Internet of Things (IoT) sensing networks, and AI-driven analytics are transforming everything from soil and water management to crop and animal monitoring and farm labour. It will examine how the digitisation of models – often referred to as Digital Twins – can operate in parallel with real-time sensing systems, providing a framework for forecasting, scenario testing, and timely interventions.

The lecture will present real-world case studies demonstrating how these technologies are already being applied in farming systems across scales and contexts. The lecture sets out a vision in which the integration of physical and digital domains enables agriculture to become more responsive, sustainable, and resilient in the face of complex challenges.