The broker network of the European Space Agency (ESA) adds value for and boosts European industry through collaboration between the space and non-space industries. During March 2023, the ESA Technology Broker NL – managed by SBIC Noordwijk and NL Space Campus – has been introduced to a number of its target sectors, from an agri-food audience at SBIC to high tech industry at ZIE 2023 (see here). The priority is to engage in discussions to highlight the problems that such sectors are facing and investigate whether space technology offers opportunities. This post highlights the visit to SBIC of a group of young professionals working in the Dutch bulb and flower industry as a first introduction to space tech and the possibilities for utilising space data/technology and innovations in agriculture.
Located on NL Space Campus, SBIC Noordwijk is an ideal location for such a meeting. It is the base of ESA’s business incubation programme and a number of ESA BIC incubatees offer solutions that have an agri focus. For instance, Trabotyx is a startup that graduated from the programme in 2022 and is currently rolling out its innovative weeding robot, which uses space technologies for accurate localisation, for use by five farms in the Netherlands.
When it comes to ESA’s Dutch technology broker investigating ways to support the farming industry, this event was an opportunity for selected experts to brainstorm with young farmers from the bulb-growing industry in the Duin- en Bollenstreek region. Following the green and digital transition, farmers are under constant pressure to increase sustainability. Incorporating technology to support innovation is key for the farming industry, which is also on the agenda of the Dutch government’s Topsector Agri & Food.
Satellite data, for instance, can provide detailed information about crop health, moisture levels and nutrient content, allowing farmers to optimise their resources and reduce waste and costs. Maaike Smelte, NL Space Campus community manager and organiser of the event, comments: “With the idea of taking this potential to the field, 30 young farmers from the Duin- en Bollenstreek region were invited at SBIC to connect with the space community and selected experts to discuss bottlenecks and potential solutions.”
Space2Agri event
The event began with an introduction of the broker by SBIC and NL Space campus and a panel of speakers that included representatives of the visiting bulb growers, space related entrepreneurs from Soilspect, the robotic company Pixelfarming and the FarmHack organisation, which tries to utilise the full potential of data and technology and aims to empower farmers and diversify business ideas.
During the meeting, the farmers presented several of the complex agricultural challenges they face in growing their bulbs. Of course, the disconnect between the daily practice of these well-intending farmers and the drastic and often unnuanced measures of the government came up regularly. The in-depth dialogue between the farmers and experts mainly circled around two topics: the added value of using more precise data; and the technological options available to increase the quality of the most important conditions, such as soil health, water levels, crop protection and biodiversity.
Following on from the event, one of the speakers – Anne Bruinsma, co-founder of FarmHack – highlights the need for further discussion: “It was interesting to hear about potential of satellite data in bulb cultivation. It is good to see that these young farmers understand the importance of active involvement in developing useful applications. My concern is that it often revolves around technology that is applicable and affordable for the few who scale at the expense of their neighbour, instead of collectively organised IT services that make it possible for the family business to remain a pillar of Dutch agriculture and there remains a future for all.”
Erik van der Heide, connect & development manager at SBIC, comments: “In the role of ESA Technology Broker NL, which is managed by SBIC and NL Space Campus, we used this meeting – and especially the networking that happened over drinks after the meeting – to further exchange knowledge and connect the attending farmers and experts so they can explore how to work together on the discussed topics. The seeds have been planted for a fruitful collaboration!”
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This is an edited version of the broker event post that appears on the NL Space Campus website.
Click to get an impression of the broker booth at ZIE via the SBIC LinkedIn post
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