People first technology follows on the high tech farm
Farmers, tech companies and education partners met during Akkerbouwdag at the Farm of the Future to discuss the step from farm to high tech workplace. The takeaway was clear and practical. Digital transformation starts with mindset, culture and organisation, then technology follows as a conscious choice. There is no standard route because every business differs in scale, structure and ambition. Collaboration and learning in practice speed up progress. This recap shares the insights, the frictions that were named and the concrete steps you can take tomorrow, with NXTGEN Hightech Agrifood as a partner in the network.
Technology follows the organisation
The conversation was less about drones and robots and more about people. Marinus van Dee stressed that technology is not the starting point, it starts with mindset, culture and organisation. If you do not bring your team along, technology will not deliver. This shifted the focus from buying to capability and from owning to using in daily practice, while Anne Bruinsma underlined the importance of a digital strategy before you buy equipment. It is about organising and learning deliberately, building a culture where experimentation is possible and employees have ownership, so technology becomes part of a considered way of running the business and not the goal in itself. Investments then align better with objectives and return more. Meanwhile participants shared concerns about loss of control, dependency on suppliers and the complexity of data. The conclusion was that there is no single route because a growing arable business needs something different than a farm that wants to reduce labour or simplify processes. By starting from the context of the farm and the objectives in the short and longer term you create a feasible path that fits and is sustainable.
Starting small makes data valuable in your business
Data came up often as both an opportunity and a headache. What helps is to start small with a concrete question, such as precision application or harvest planning, and define which data you need for it. Link that data to processes and decision moments so it becomes a business asset rather than loose files. The Van de Borne Campus showed how learning, research and doing accelerate this. Students, young farmers and tech companies work on practical challenges and see results directly. This builds a culture of continuous improvement and innovation that attracts and retains talent while improving day to day operations. This is just as relevant for smaller farms because smart and handsfree tools can reduce workload and errors even at limited scale.
You are stronger together in digital transformation
Collaboration was a common thread. Whether it is sharing data, procuring technology together or setting up training, going it alone costs more time and carries more risk. A policy adviser at the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality noted that digital transformation is not only technological but above all social, with policy that allows space for different farm types and learning pathways. That creates room to develop step by step while keeping pace with the market.
What you can do tomorrow
Look at your farm with a fresh eye and choose one bottleneck where technology can help. Discuss with your team what can improve in organisation and working agreements so change gains support. Record which decisions you want to improve and which data belongs to them, then decide which tool or supplier fits. Find a partner in your network to learn with and plan a short trial so you get quick feedback.
What NXTGEN Hightech Agrifood offers
NXTGEN Hightech Agrifood connects farmers, technology partners, education and government around concrete questions in open field crops. We help businesses shape a digital strategy, organise learning pathways and testbeds and make the step from idea to application feasible. This way solutions fit your context better and investment returns improve. If you want to move forward with technology on your farm, contact the programme or visit the Van de Borne Campus and join the network.