Rocha’s Path to Agriculture 4.0

At the forefront of agricultural innovation, Pulverizadores Rocha has strengthened its commitment to technological development, even in adverse contexts such as the pandemic. The conviction is clear: the future of agriculture demands precision, sustainability, and active collaboration between industry, academia, and end users.
Innovation as a Response to Major Challenges
European agriculture faces significant structural challenges: labor shortages, pressure for greater environmental sustainability, and the need to increase productivity. Rocha’s response is a firm commitment to Research and Development (R&D), resulting in the development of technological solutions tailored to the real needs of the sector.
An example of this is the strengthening of the R&D department during 2020 and 2021, a period in which the company, far from slowing down, intensified its collaboration with institutions such as INESC TEC, ESAD, and the University of Valladolid (EECAS). These partnerships have been decisive in creating technologies that combine efficiency, sustainability, and intelligence applied to agriculture.
PRYSM Project: Robotics at the Service of the Vineyard
One of the most emblematic projects of this innovation strategy is PRYSM – Precision Sprayer Ground Robot, designed to meet the demands of viticulture in mountainous areas such as the Douro region. It is an autonomous robot capable of performing low-volume treatments (100 liters per hectare), adjusting the application according to prescription maps and actual leaf mass, even on steep slopes and without GNSS signal.
Funded by the European H2020 program through the ESMERA project, PRYSM represents a qualitative leap towards Agriculture 4.0 – data-driven agriculture, assisted decision-making, and high automation.
Agriculture 4.0: More Than Technology
Agriculture 4.0 is not just about smart machines. It is an integrated approach that includes the use of sensors, decision support systems, robotics, data science, and connectivity to transform the entire agricultural production chain. From soil study to administrative management, these digital tools allow the farmer to act based on real data, reducing costs, increasing productivity, and optimizing natural resources.
In this context, Pulverizadores Rocha has also developed new accessories with relevant practical applications, such as the bilateral locator with sonar system, which enables localized fertilization with tree presence detection. These innovations simplify complex tasks and make processes more sustainable and efficient.
A Networked Sector: Fairs, Partnerships, and Proximity
Regular participation in events like Agroglobal is part of Rocha’s strategy to maintain direct links with key sector players. These moments of proximity allow feedback collection, field testing of solutions, and anticipation of trends shaping the future of agriculture.
As Sérgio Oliveira, Rocha’s marketing technician, highlights:
“We believe that the relationship between academia, manufacturers, and end users will be decisive for agricultural advances in the near future.”
A Commitment to the Future
For Rocha, the modernization of the European agricultural sector inevitably involves a collaborative approach centered on innovation and knowledge transfer. The company continues to invest in robust technological solutions adapted to the realities of farms, contributing to a more resilient, efficient, and sustainable sector.
Agriculture 4.0 is no longer the future – it is the present. And Pulverizadores Rocha is determined to lead this path.