LWV23038.01 AGROS II: Proceeding the evolution to sustainable AGRicultural Operation Systems, Use Case Horticulture (TS-02-226-002)

Dutch agriculture faces major the challenge to evolve towards a circular, climate-neutral and nature-inclusive sector, which implies that the use of scarce resources and the environmental impact have to be reduced. As current production systems have become increasing complex, there is a need for smart technologies with which the required system change can be achieved.

In this project, we aim to develop data-driven technological innovations for sensing and control in agricultural production systems. We develop this knowledge together with the NWO project SYNERGIA and integrate it with biological sciences to support the transition to sustainable production systems. This should result in a decrease in the use of natural resources (energy, water, nutrients) and a lower environmental impact, and should be supportive to improve biodiversity. We will work on these developments for two important sectors that represent the diversity of Dutch agriculture and offer opportunities for synergy: greenhouse horticulture and arable farming.

 

Major challenges in greenhouse horticulture are the environmental impact and the availability of qualified personnel that can oversee all aspects of the complex production system. Therefore, we require the step towards more data driven cultivation systems based on intelligent algorithms. We aim to develop an “autonomous greenhouse”, in which cultivation is controlled remotely by intelligent algorithms based on automated, continuously collected information from crop and climate sensors. Greenhouse staff will be supported by vision technology and automation, making horticulture a more attractive employer. First steps towards autonomous cultivation have been taken in the first AGROS project, with a successful proof of concept. However, further developments are required to realise a crop-based intelligent control system for autonomous control of climate and crop management decisions, that is based on objectified sustainable goal functions.