A real-world environment where data-driven livestock farming comes together
Within NXTGEN Hightech Agrifood, WUR Agro-innovation Centre De Marke is used as a test and validation location for innovations in dairy farming. This real-world environment, covering 61 hectares of sandy soil and a ground-based dairy farm with 80 cows and associated youngstock, brings together the full cycle of cow, manure, soil and crop. As a result, technologies are assessed not only technically, but also in terms of how they perform within the system as a whole.
Here, it becomes clear how automation, data and digitalisation contribute to a future-proof and increasingly autonomous agrifood practice. WUR Agro-innovation Centre De Marke therefore plays an important role within the Open Field Crops and Livestock innovation package, as well as within the broader Handsfree Agrifood ecosystem.
From isolated innovation to an integrated working system
Innovations are not tested in isolation, but always in relation to the full farm operation, where the interaction between cow, manure, soil and crop is central.
Four pillars guide all testing and collaboration:
nature-inclusive agriculture
precision agriculture
climate resilience
circularity
Within NXTGEN, this integrated approach ensures that innovations do not only perform in controlled test environments, but function effectively in real-world practice. At the same time, De Marke operates as a living lab, where practical experience, research and application come together and where knowledge is continuously developed and shared with partners.
Precision agriculture and digitalisation in practice
WUR Agro-innovation Centre De Marke provides a solid foundation for assessing technologies that reduce repetitive manual tasks while increasing precision, sustainability and efficiency. It supports both small-scale trials and scaling scenarios, with a strong focus on real-world relevance and reproducibility.
The combination of sensors, monitoring and data platforms makes it possible to continuously collect, analyse and translate data from the barn, soil, crops and feed into actionable insights. This digitalisation makes processes more predictable and controllable, while reducing errors and administrative workload and improving overall operational efficiency.
Four technology domains within Handsfree Agrifood that reduce manual work and increase insight
Within Handsfree Agrifood, WUR Agro-innovation Centre De Marke is used for technologies that reduce manual processes while increasing precision, reproducibility and efficiency. In this real-world setting, solutions are not tested in isolation, but assessed based on how they perform within the full system of cow, manure, soil and crop.
Data-driven knowledge sharing
WUR Agro-innovation Centre De Marke functions as a living lab where real-world data is collected and linked to data platforms, dashboards and digital twin models. This integration enables external parties to test applications and scenarios virtually, while accelerating knowledge sharing within the Handsfree Agrifood ecosystem.
More efficient farm operations
By digitalising measurement and registration processes, such as input apps and automated database storage, errors and administrative workload are reduced. This contributes to more efficient farm operations and enables more targeted decision-making based on up-to-date data.
Research and demonstration
Real-time dashboards and KPI overviews provide insight into the current status of the cycle of cow, manure, soil and crop. These insights form the basis for research, demonstrations and knowledge transfer, making innovations easier to understand and apply in practice.
Innovation and co-creation
The available facilities enable technologies to be developed, tested and improved together with companies, researchers and end users. This co-creation approach ensures that innovations better align with real-world needs and accelerates the transition towards practical application and scaling. This is supported by extensive trial fields and practical plots, advanced sensors and monitoring, data platforms and dashboards, digital twin models, and laboratory and measurement facilities for feed, manure and soil analysis.
Scientific foundation and independent validation
WUR Agro-innovation Centre De Marke has an independent, scientifically grounded position within Wageningen University & Research and has access to more than 35 years of data on the cycle of cow, manure, soil and crop.
This combination makes it possible not only to test innovations in practice, but also to validate them in a reproducible and objective way. Within NXTGEN Handsfree Agrifood, this ensures that technology providers, farmers and other stakeholders can rely on well-founded results, helping to shorten the path from development to real-world application and accelerate scaling.
Collaboration within the Handsfree Agrifood ecosystem
Collaboration with technology companies, knowledge institutions, farmers and value chain partners forms the foundation for further development and application of innovations. Co-creation plays a key role, with technologies being developed, tested and improved together with users and partners in practice. The connection with Wageningen University & Research provides a strong scientific foundation and access to high-level expertise, enabling innovations to be developed and validated at the highest possible level.
Within the Handsfree Agrifood ecosystem, this collaboration ensures that innovations do not stand alone, but become part of a larger system in which data, technology and practice reinforce each other. Together, they contribute to a future-proof agrifood sector and accelerate the scaling of innovations towards real-world application and market adoption.
Relevant Use Case and articles
Want to learn more about testing and validation of Innovation Package 1?
Within NXTGEN Hightech Agrifood, innovations are tested and optimized to take the next step toward practical application. Curious about the possibilities and how use cases drive innovations forward? Our innovation package leader Natalie Hotrum is happy to tell you more.