agribusinessreview.comDECEMBER 20258 opinionIN MYEuropean farming is facing a major shift. Society and politics demand an ecological transition, which feels like an almost impossible mission for farmers who are already economically struggling. However, if we combine this ecological transition with an economic transition, we can discover new ways of truly sustainable farming. With an integrated approach supported by data and digitalization, we believe this is possible.On many different levels, farmers are confronted with increasing demands and regulations. As director of plant-based solutions at Agrifirm, one of my main focus areas is supporting our arable farmers in the challenges they face and showing them new opportunities. Royal Agrifirm Group is a cooperative of approximately 10,000 Dutch farmers. We believe in responsible food chains for future generations, yet we believe that this is only possible if we manage to improve not only the ecological but also the economic impact of arable farming. Lowering Environmental Impact, Maintaining LivelihoodThe chemical solutions that have been the key to productivity and efficiency in the past decades are rapidly disappearing. The inconvenient truth is that the (financial) benefits have been passed on to the consumer, not the farmer. The Dutch arable industry is an industry with very low added value: 45 percent of our arable farmers generate a household income close to the defined minimum. That explains why new demands and regulations are not easily embraced. The technologies that enabled productivity rise are disappearing, but there are limited financial means to transition to new ways of working and meet the new demands. We believe that we can only successfully transition our food production system if we strike a balance between lowering the environmental impact and economic sustainability. New Technologies, New ApproachesAs a cooperative, we take responsibility, and we are capable of finding new ways toward sustainable arable farming. To establish this, we focus on two major themes listed below. I will elaborate on both further.1. A new approach to farming to maintain yields and profitability. This 'Total Crop Approach,' as we call it, integrates technologies such as green crop protection, natural pest control, mechanical weeding or genetic resistance, supported by digital technologies and the use of data. Ultimately, this system leads towards a regenerative way of farming.2. A shift in the value chain to ensure fair economic returns for the farmer. This will become even more important as laws DATA AND DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AS THE KEY TO TRANSFORMING ARABLE FARMINGBy Willem Unger, Global Director of Plant-Based Solutions and Member of Executive Leadership Team, Royal Agrifirm GroupIf a shift to more extensive crops has environmental and regulatory advantages, we need to make it economically viable to grow these crops.
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