WiDiD Viticulture with Antoine Devue

With over 30 years’ experience in viticulture, Antoine Devue has built his career in Champagne, eastern France and Chablis. A former employee of Felco and the Champagne Wine Corporation, he is a keen expert on the challenges faced in the field, from vine pruning to the passing on of expertise.

He currently works with WiDiD Viticulture as a subject matter expert. He assesses and validates the use of virtual reality as a training tool for winegrowers, seasonal workers and trainees in the wine industry.

For Antoine Devue, the objectives are clear:

• Get teams up and running more quickly
• Ensuring the quality of the harvest through controlled pruning
• Minimising on-the-ground errors ahead of the season

Thanks to a multilingual simulator and progressive scenarios, WiDiD Viticulture allows users to practise in a safe and realistic environment, without having to use a vineyard plot or a trainer.

There is, of course, the time saved and the improved quality of the harvest, but also the assurance of having qualified staff.

Although virtual reality is still a relatively new development in the sector, its educational impact is immediate:

• The curiosity of business owners, who see it as an effective addition
• Interest from training centres keen to modernise their practices
• Credibility enhanced by the precision of the movements reproduced, enabling teams to become operational more quickly

• Time saved during the training phase
• Reducing errors in the field
• Gradual development of skills
• Increased motivation through gamification

Virtual reality does not replace practical training, but it enhances preparation for it. It is a modern, intuitive and rewarding tool for both learners and organisations:

• Available in several languages
• Compatible with PCs and VR headsets
• Can be used all year round, regardless of the weather

Antoine concludes: