Managing weeds effectively is one of the constant challenges of arable farming. Farmers need to protect crop yields while dealing with herbicide resistance, rising production costs and growing pressure to reduce chemical inputs. Finding the right balance requires more than a single solution. Agronomic practices, mechanical control and targeted chemical applications can all play a role in developing more sustainable approaches to weed management.
On 21 May 2026, ARVALIS organised the SIP8 Open Day at the Boigneville farm in France, bringing together 306 participants, including around 100 farmers and 200 farm advisors, as well as representatives from cooperatives, Digital Innovation Hubs, technology companies, policymakers, research and academia, and the media.The large-scale field event focused on sustainable grass weed management in arable crops, with particular attention to how digital and precision technologies such as spot spraying can help farmers improve weed control, reduce herbicide use and keep production costs under control.
Bringing sustainable weed management into the field
The Open Day was designed around a practical question: how can farmers regain control over difficult weeds while reducing their reliance on herbicides and maintaining economic performance? Participants rotated through four thematic field stations, led by ARVALIS experts. The demonstrations covered how to recognise and prevent the spread of major weed species, optimise spraying programmes in the context of herbicide resistance, combine mechanical and chemical control, and bring different weed-management approaches together.
The format allowed participants to see different techniques directly in the field and discuss how they could be applied in their own farming systems. For many farmers, digital technology is already part of everyday farming. Tools such as RTK-GPS are being used to support more precise agricultural operations. However, awareness and experience with other digital solutions varies, and farmers continue to consider whether new technologies are sufficiently affordable, simple and relevant to their individual operations.
From blanket spraying to targeted action
One of the technologies presented through SIP8 was a spot spraying solution installed on common farm machinery. Rather than treating an entire field uniformly, spot spraying enables farmers to target specific areas where weeds are present. This approach has the potential to reduce herbicide use while maintaining effective weed control. The technology attracted considerable interest during the Open Day. Farmers and agricultural advisors asked questions about how the solution differs from other approaches, including systems that use drone imagery to identify weeds before spraying. They were also interested in whether decision-support tools could help determine where and when spot spraying should be carried out. These questions reflected a central concern for farmers: digital technology needs to deliver a clear practical and economic benefit if it is to become part of everyday farm management.
Technology needs to make sense for the farm
Participants recognised the potential of digital solutions to improve efficiency and crop management, but also highlighted several barriers to adoption. Cost, complexity and lack of training remain important concerns. Farmers are more likely to consider adopting a technology when it addresses a clear practical problem, is easy to use and does not require extensive technical knowledge. Connectivity can also be an issue, particularly for solutions that depend on reliable digital infrastructure. Participants therefore emphasised the value of affordable tools that can work in low-connectivity environments.
For spot spraying and other precision technologies, the business case is particularly important. Farmers need to understand not only whether a technology works, but whether the savings in inputs and potential improvements in efficiency justify the investment. The Open Day discussions also highlighted the potential role of public support. Some farmers indicated that financial assistance from national or regional authorities could help make digital technologies more accessible.
Learning from the field - and from each other
While the demonstrations were an important part of the event, some of the most valuable exchanges happened outside the formal programme.
After a morning spent exploring weed-management strategies, farmers and agricultural advisors gathered for lunch and continued discussing the challenges facing their profession – from energy and fertiliser costs to changing weather conditions and their vision for the future of farming. These informal conversations provided an opportunity to exchange practical experience and compare perspectives across different types of farms and organisations.
The role of CUMAs, which support cooperation between farmers through shared equipment and services, was also discussed. In western France, farmers have not traditionally been accustomed to sharing machinery, but rising mechanisation costs and the increasing limitations of chemical solutions are encouraging greater interest in cooperative approaches.
The discussions showed that innovation is not only about adopting new technology. Farmers also learn from one another, and these peer-to-peer exchanges can play an important role in changing established farming practices.
What did farmers think The event itself received very positive feedback. 80% of respondents rated the organisation 5 out of 5, while the remaining 20% gave it a 4 out of 5. The practical spraying demonstration was particularly well received. The “Optimising Your Spraying” module received ratings of 4 or 5 from 90% of respondents, highlighting the value participants placed on practical, field-based information.
Making precision agriculture practical
The SIP8 Open Day demonstrated that farmers are interested in digital solutions when they can see a clear connection between technology and real farming challenges.
Spot spraying is one example of how precision agriculture can help move towards more targeted use of inputs. But the technology needs to be affordable, compatible with existing machinery and simple enough to integrate into everyday farm operations.
The event also highlighted the importance of creating opportunities for farmers to discuss technologies with experts and, equally importantly, with one another. Several participants felt that more time for discussion would have been valuable, reinforcing the role of peer-to-peer exchange in supporting changes in farming practice.
Through Sustainable Innovation Pilot 8, Farmtopia is demonstrating how digital technology can become part of a broader integrated approach to weed management- combining precision tools with agronomic and mechanical practices to reduce inputs while maintaining farm performance.
The experience at Boigneville shows that the future of sustainable weed management will not depend on technology alone. It will depend on making innovation practical, economically viable and relevant to the farmers who need to use it.