Will robots replace workers in greenhouses? Envisioning labour and automation in the Dutch greenhouse sector

Abstract

In the Netherlands, horticulture is highly technologically advanced and automated yet depending on migrant workers to do manual labour. Robots are mentioned as the next developement to replace manual labour. Following the guidelines of RRI, anticipation and inclusion, this thesis explores how horticulture farmers and workers envision the future of labour in their sector. The concept of sociotechnical imaginaries guides this exploration of finding shared vision of desirable futures.