The INNO-VEG project is launching a new cross-border network across the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. The network will facilitate innovation between the precision farming/sensor technology industry, research organisations and the field vegetable and potato crop sectors.

The network launch will take place on 31 October at Rusthoeve Research Centre, Colijnsplaat, the Netherlands in a meeting organised by Delphy BV. ADAS Principal Soil Scientist Dr Lizzie Sagoo will introduce the INNO-VEG project, and key results from the 2019 field experiments will be presented by Jean-Pierre Cohan, Head of sensor-based phenotyping at ARVALIS. Cor Van Oers from Delphy BV will outline the aims of the network and there will an opportunity for delegates to meet with experts from the smart farming and research communities.

“The INNO-VEG innovation network will focus on facilitating innovation by realising the value of crop sensing technology in the field vegetable and potato sectors. The network is free to join and we invite anyone with an interest in this area to get involved,” says network lead Cor Van Oers from Delphy.

Further networking events are planning in the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands over the next two years. In addition, the network will include a web-based ‘Innovation hub’ with members directory, project database and discussion forum.

“To help us focus the network activities over the next few years, we’ve set up an online survey to collect feedback from growers and other industry stakeholders” says ADAS project lead Lizzie Sagoo. “The survey should take no more than 10 minutes to complete and we’d be really grateful for all feedback”.

In addition to the network, the project also includes a programme of field experiments which focus on developing innovative methods for carrying out research on field vegetable and potato crops. This year, 48 field experiments have been set up across the UK, France, Belgium and the Netherlands to develop an overarching protocol for integrating crop sensing data into field research methodologies.

Please click here to complete the network survey. The launch meeting is free to attend and open to all, however registration is required as places are limited. Please email inno-veg@delphy.nl to register.

The four-year INNO-VEG project began in August 2018. ADAS leads the project in the UK; the partners are Inagro vzw in Belgium, Delphy BV in the Netherlands and ARVALIS – Institut du vegetal in France. The project has received funding from the Interreg 2 Seas programme 2014-2020 co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund under subsidy contract No 2S05-032.