agrifoodTEF is one of the four newly established European Testing and Experimentation Facilities (TEFs), designed to strengthen the digital transformation of key industrial sectors through trustworthy AI and Robotics. As its name suggests, agrifoodTEF is dedicated to supporting innovation in the agricultural and food production sectors.
Launched in January 2023, agrifoodTEF operates as a pan-European network of testing and validation infrastructures. It offers technology providers access to real-world environments where advanced AI-driven and robotic solutions can be rigorously tested, assessed, and fine-tuned. The initiative is set to run until December 2027.
A Mission to Bridge Innovation and Application
The mission of agrifoodTEF is clear: to help innovators bring cutting-edge digital solutions to market more effectively by offering support during one of the most critical stages—product validation in realistic conditions. This approach reduces time to market, increases reliability, and ensures alignment with both regulatory standards and end-user needs.
agrifoodTEF enables agrifood companies and AI developers to validate their technologies in operational contexts across various sectors, including:
- Arable farming
- Horticulture
- Tree crops
- Viticulture
- Greenhouse production
- Livestock farming
- Food processing
With each validation scenario tailored to the unique requirements of the solution being tested, agrifoodTEF ensures high-quality support that is both flexible and sector-specific.
What is a Testing and Experimentation Facility?
A TEF—Testing and Experimentation Facility—is a large-scale, physical and virtual infrastructure where technology developers can test AI and robotics applications under real-life conditions. These facilities are not limited to technical testing: they also include end-users, such as farmers or food processors, in the design and evaluation of testing protocols to ensure solutions are practical, effective, and ready for deployment.
agrifoodTEF also provides essential integration and demonstration support, helping innovators demonstrate the feasibility, efficiency, and safety of their systems—before they go to market.
A European Network of Excellence
The agrifoodTEF consortium brings together some of Europe’s leading organisations in agricultural research, digital innovation, and robotics. By working as a unified network, the TEF is able to offer services across borders, reaching innovators throughout the EU and enabling cross-country collaboration.
These services are made available through multiple "nodes" distributed across the continent, ensuring accessibility and diversity in testing environments—from Mediterranean vineyards to Northern European livestock farms.
Why agrifoodTEF is so important
Agrifood is one of the most important sectors in Europe’s economy and society. Ensuring food security, sustainability, and competitiveness in this sector is a strategic priority. agrifoodTEF supports this goal by enabling the deployment of AI and robotics that improve productivity, optimise resource use, reduce environmental impact, and contribute to food system resilience.
By lowering the barriers to innovation and accelerating the safe and efficient deployment of new technologies, agrifoodTEF plays a vital role in Europe’s wider strategy for digital sovereignty and leadership in AI.
As part of the broader network coordinated by CoordinaTEF, agrifoodTEF contributes not only to sector-specific advancements but also to the harmonised growth of Europe’s AI ecosystem as a whole.
To learn more about the services offered by agrifoodTEF and opportunities for collaboration,
