General Episode Z-AGRIFOOD: Spray technology is smart and precise

Our food production can be more efficient and sustainable, among others through the use of artificial intelligence and robotics. Based on this conviction, Flanders and Europe are investing in a Test and Experiment Facility (AgrifoodTEF) at ILVO. This is an environment that helps Flemish companies bring smart digital solutions to market faster. The AgrifoodTEF at ILVO was launched on June 7th 2023.

To mark the occasion, ILVO, in collaboration with Kanaal Z and Trends.be, is bringing the operation and services of the AgrifoodTEF into extensive focus. Under the name Z-Agrifood, 10 episodes of 4-5 minutes each on AI and robotics will be compiled in 2023.

The fourth episode of Z-Agrifood is about spray technology. European farmers face the challenge in the coming years to keep their crops and their fruit and vegetable harvests healthy with only HALF the amount of chemical plant protection products. That ambition of the Green Deal is solid! But in the - very specialized - world of smart crop protection, they have long been working on smart spray technologies that, because they act much more site-specific, require far less plant protection products. Up to 80% less! Stop thinking about: "uniformly protecting the whole field from a bad pest" ... but rather "uneven" treatment ... only where the plants really need it. ILVO, with its "spray tech lab" and with its "sprayer inspection service" is at the European top in terms of innovative spray technology. From now on, that expertise will be further shared through the AgrifoodTEF project!