Precision agriculture, robotic milking, and drones rescuing fawns – all of this is part of the research and education taking place at the Faculty of Agriculture and Technology at the University of South Bohemia. On Wednesday, May 15, the faculty hosted the Minister of Agriculture, Marek Výborný, accompanied by the university’s rector, Pavel Kozák, and the dean of the faculty, Petr Bartoš. The visit provided an opportunity to present the faculty’s cutting-edge technologies to the minister and to discuss their practical application, as well as the role of modern education in the future of Czech agriculture.
During the tour, the minister visited selected faculty departments where research meets practice. He was particularly interested in a demonstration of machine vision technology used to monitor the behavior and health of livestock—a system that enhances both farming efficiency and animal welfare.
He also paid close attention to unmanned aerial vehicles used in crop production. The faculty showcased how drones can be used for targeted application of crop protection products, detection of crop damage, or locating young wild animals during haymaking.
In the discussion with faculty representatives, Minister Výborný praised the integration of education and research with hands-on practice, emphasizing the importance of students gaining real-world experience with modern technologies during their studies. “I’m very pleased that students here are already learning how to use this technology, and they’ll carry it into practice later,” he stated.