Innovation Mission to Belgium

Are you an entrepreneur or researcher working on digital and sustainable solutions for arable farming and/or open field cultivation? Would you like to collaborate with partners in Belgium on innovation and product development (R&D)? Then join this innovation mission to Belgium from 2 to 4 December 2025.

For whom?

Entrepreneurs and researchers affiliated with knowledge institutions who are developing innovative solutions to make arable farming and open field cultivation more sustainable—such as through precision farming and digitisation—will find this innovation mission to Belgium an excellent opportunity to strengthen their position. The mission offers a platform to explore business opportunities and foster collaboration with Belgian partners.

The mission is specifically aimed at companies and researchers engaged in various agtech and precision agriculture applications:

• Sensor applications
• Imaging solutions, including (spectral) cameras, satellite data
• Big data and AI solutions
• Farm management software
• Precision spraying
• Field robots (e.g., for weeding, harvesting)
• Drone technology

Objectives

During the innovation mission, we aim to connect Dutch and Belgian stakeholders from the smart farming ecosystem, exploring opportunities for innovation collaboration. The mission focuses on the following themes:

• Precision farming: How can technology be used to address climate and environmental challenges?
• Automation and robotics: How can technology reduce the need for manual labour?
• Data-driven cultivation: How do Belgium and the Netherlands collect, coordinate, and use agricultural data? How can this data be shared, who owns it, and how can data systems work together? How can AI be applied in data-driven cultivation?

The mission seeks to lay the foundation for cross-border cooperation aimed at further developing the Dutch smart farming ecosystem. More specifically, by:

• Gaining insight into the Belgian agricultural sector, including innovative developments and opportunities;
• Exploring and exchanging best practices within industry, research, policy, and on the farm;
• Identifying trends and opportunities for multi-year (public-private) cooperation between knowledge institutions and companies in R&D.
• Linking innovative knowledge and technology from the Netherlands to market opportunities in Belgium.

Draft programme

The mission program is still being developed. The group program will start on Tuesday afternoon, 2 December 2025 (start time and location to be announced) with a bus ride from a meeting point in the Flemish-Dutch border region. The program will end on Thursday, 4 December 2025, late afternoon, with a return to the meeting point.

The programme will consist of a mix of:

• Visits to Flemish and Walloon knowledge and research institutions, including Inagro;
• Exploration of ecosystems through mini-seminars;
• Visit to a trade fair (Agribex);
• Meetings with Flemish and Walloon farmers and machinery manufacturers;
• Networking moments.

Altogether, we will spend 2 half-days in Flanders, 2 half-days in Wallonia, combined with one half-day in Brussels (trade fair visit and networking event).

Costs

The cost of participating in the innovation mission is €250 per person. This includes: participation in the group program, transfers to and from program components, lunches, and dinners as specified in the program.

Participation excludes: travel and accommodation costs, and all individual expenses.

Register

Would you like to participate in this innovation mission? Please register no later than Friday, 5 September, via the online registration form.

Final participation depends on the number of available places. We will also assess how well your technology fits within the scope and objectives of the mission. You will receive final confirmation of participation after registration closes.

Want to know more?
Request our studies on the smart farming ecosystem in Flanders and Wallonia via bru-lvvn@minbuza.nl.

If you have questions about this innovation mission, please contact:

Bert van der Heide
Advisor Innovation Missions
E: bert.vanderheide@rvo.nl
M: +31 (0) 6 29 37 12 09

Or send an email to innovatiemissies@rvo.nl

Commissioned by:
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature