New agritech centre for Massey opened
Achange in agricultural jobs, to more technically advanced employment, is partly driving Massey University’s new agritech centre.
It will partner with companies to develop what it said was groundbreaking technology and plans to be running about March next year.
Massey Agritech Partnership is a research centre, with Professor Ian Yule as its head. There are 20 post-graduate students already studying in some areas.
Yule sees this as just the start. He said the centre would work with industry and ensure technologies were relevant to the needs of industry. ‘‘The study opportunities will come with that, but we are also intending to open new areas to be ahead of the demand curve, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics.’’
Yule said the student intake would mainly be post-graduate, but the centre also planned to have a programme of summer schools in areas of high demand aimed at professionals already in the industry.
‘‘There will be some advanced programming languages, software and technology management.
‘‘We also want to create a programme of placing students with companies both locally and nationally.
‘‘We’re already working with two local companies on the implementation of robots and automation into agricultural production, this is allowing these companies to be ahead of the game.
‘‘Massey has also provided graduates to local industries in mechatronics and other engineering disciplines. We are intending to build connection with our local industry to encourage internships within industry.’’
Yule said there were several other projects under way with companies.
‘‘And we will talk more about those as they develop. One area we are likely to become more involved in is automated harvesting of horticulture crops.’’
He said graduates might go for a number of jobs within the primary industries.
‘‘Those jobs are changing, there is much more demand for technologically competent people with a range of skills that many of us are only vaguely aware of at the moment. We are also looking to train graduates who can fill the needs of technology developers and see the need to better connect them with the industries they are seeking to service.’’
‘‘In the short term we will continue where are based and work as a virtual centre. The key is building the group of personnel at the moment, the group will initially be distributed but the intention is to bring them together in one location and this will happen in 2019.’’
Yule will be joined by postharvest engineer professor Andrew East, robotics expert professor Johan Potgieter, and their respective teams.
And while Massey said it was rejuvenating its agricultural and horticultural programmes, it was not changing them.
Vice-chancellor Professor Jan Thomas said she was proud of Massey’s agricultural science history.
‘‘The New Zealand economy and future depends on the prosperity of agriculture. Massey is 27th in the world in agriculture and is moving up in the rankings.’’
She said it had expertise across the primary sector and food.
‘‘The world faces big environmental challenges. Changing climate is one that is upon us now. Massey University is researching some of these gnarly questions.’’