Future‑Proof Farming in practice: from insight to implementation
Proud Farmers
Within the Future Proof Farming programme, Aviko works together with growers from the Netherlands and France on future‑proof potato cultivation. The programme gives growers the opportunity to take steps towards more sustainable farming practices from within their own business context. Growers themselves determine where their focus lies and which measures best fit their farm and surroundings.
What future‑proof farming looks like in practice differs from one business to another. The experiences of Dutch growers Martin Lamberink and Karin Oonk show that there is no single blueprint for future‑proof farming. What is central, however, is ownership: taking the lead yourself, with support where it adds value.
Room for individual choices
For Martin Lamberink, who runs a dairy and arable farming business together with his family in Bruchterveld in the Salland region, it is important that sustainability is not a stand‑alone initiative. It must fit the daily practice of the family business, which has existed since 1928. “What I really value is that the programme is bottom‑up. As a grower, you decide yourself where to focus and what fits your own business.”
Arable farmer Karin Oonk, based in the Noordoostpolder, recognises this freedom as well. On her 52‑hectare farm, where she grows potatoes, wheat, sugar beet, onions and carrots, participation in the programme helps her to look at cultivation with a fresh perspective. What is going well, and what opportunities arise to do things smarter or better?
From insight to implementation
Future‑proof farming requires more than ambition alone. It also requires insight and the ability to put choices into practice. It is precisely this combination that growers see as the strength of the programme.
For Martin, the programme helps him make more conscious decisions about which steps make sense to take now. Not everything at once, but focused and at a pace that suits the business. The programme acts as a catalyst, turning long‑standing plans into concrete actions.
For Karin, the added value lies mainly in gaining deeper insight. Measuring and analysing makes it clearer what the crop needs to perform optimally.
"Often you do things because you have always done them that way. This programme forces you to take a fresh look: what does the crop really need to perform well?"
Sustainability does not automatically mean using fewer inputs. It is about using inputs efficiently, aligned with the season and conditions. “It’s not necessarily about less input, but about better and more targeted. Sometimes that means scaling back, sometimes it doesn’t.”
Tailor‑made solutions in practice
The freedom to make individual choices leads to different areas of focus on the farms. For Martin, the emphasis is on soil and water. He has invested, among other things, in integrated nutrient management, supported by N‑mineral measurements and leaf sap analyses provided through the programme, as well as in improving the water retention capacity of his fields. “We have taken steps that had been on the planning for some time. Thanks to the programme, we were able to implement them earlier and in a more targeted way. You can see this reflected in soil structure and water management, which helps in both wet and dry conditions.”
N‑mineral measurements provide insight into the amount of mineral nitrogen available in the soil and what remains after harvest. This helps growers apply fertiliser more precisely, leading to healthier crops, higher yields and a reduced risk of nitrogen leaching.
Karin focuses primarily on nutrient efficiency and water management. “By varying nitrogen applications, you align nitrogen use with the measured crop demand, which strongly depends on the previous crop and green manures. Using moisture sensors allows me to better manage both the timing and amount of irrigation. This contributes to stable crop development and good yields, especially in the early growth stages.”
Although the measures differ, the underlying principle is the same: gaining a better understanding of what happens in the soil and the crop and aligning the cultivation strategy accordingly.
Learning from each other, in and beyond the field
The added value of the programme also lies in learning from one another and exchanging experiences. Both growers see this exchange as valuable and identify opportunities to deepen it further. Karin particularly sees value in learning through practice.
“In the field, you see what measures really do.”
Martin also emphasises the importance of practical exchange. Seeing results on other farms helps test ideas and accelerates the learning process. “We could learn much more from each other by visiting each other’s fields and sharing experiences.”
Step by step towards the future
With a view to the 2026 harvest year, both growers are building on the measures already implemented. Martin is looking further into optimising soil compaction and water management. Karin sees opportunities for drift reduction, aimed at limiting spray drift during crop protection applications. In addition, a joint approach to emerging potato diseases, such as SPN and RTD, is of great importance. It is essential that growers continue to explore together what works in practice, with room for tailor‑made solutions and knowledge sharing.
Aviko partnership
For Martin, the long‑term collaboration with Aviko also plays an important role. He has been supplying potatoes for almost 40 years, both French fry potatoes for Aviko and potatoes for flakes and granules for Aviko Rixona. Personal contact and feeling taken seriously contribute to trust and openness. “This partnership goes beyond supply alone.”
Future‑proof farming can only succeed if all parties in the value chain understand each other, Karin emphasises. “Growers know what is practically feasible in the field. That knowledge is essential to truly realise shared ambitions. There are still many opportunities for the value chain in that respect.”