Amazon is the largest tropical rainforest in the world. About them 5.5 million km² covering 9 countries South America, with Peru being the second largest share of forest after Brazil. Protection of the Amazon rainforest is key in the fight against climate change because of the large amount of carbon dioxide it absorbs.

Deforestation is a worrying problem, largely due to the livestock sector focusing on meat and leather production in Brazil’s regions. Data from the Brazilian government shows that by 2022 an area equivalent to 3 football fields will be destroyed every minute. Estimated more than 870 thousand km² the Amazon rainforest has been logged since 1985, an area larger than France, Britain and Belgium combined.

A pilot project in Peru seeks to use robots as assistants to reforest the Amazon. That Forest guard environmental organization in charge of projects involving local volunteers and authorities to try to counteract the effects of illegal logging and mining.

This program consists of using technology in the cloud to reforest more than 22 thousand hectares in a faster, more efficient and scalable way, for this, they use robots, which automate the planting task in the forest laboratory, before this step is done manually.

Thanks to the support of robots, Junglekeepers volunteers can now devote more time and resources to other activities. Volunteer rangers may spend their time patrolling the area to prevent illegal slaughterhouses, educate residents about preserving the rainforest, and plant saplings.

It is powered by solar energy and connected via satellite to the company’s base, almost 12 thousand kilometers awaythis makes it the most distant robot in the world.

How do ABB robots work?

The robot has been installed in a jungle laboratory located in the Peruvian Amazon region. His job starts with digging holes in the ground where he plants seeds. He then compacted the soil on the surface and marked it with a label. Once planted, the pots are transported and cared for by local officials to ensure their preservation.

How many seeds can he sow?

The robot manages to sow up 600 seeds in the Junglekeepers greenhouse. Thanks to a simple robotic process, it is possible to accelerate the greening of an area equivalent to two football fields every day.

The importance of technology for environmental preservation

ABB companies have previously collaborated with non-profit organizations to combat threats to the environment with technology. In 2022, he used additive printing 3d to create the Parley Global Cleanup network, which collects ocean plastic waste to make custom designed items such as furniture from recycled materials.