Fruit 4.0 De vruchten van meer technologie

Executive Summary
Modern fruit production is not possible without reliable and up-to-date information. Fruit companies
are getting bigger, supply chains are more flexible and allow for more specific customer requirements,
the market demands detailed information about the cultivation process and there is a lot of data
exchange required for regulatory and certification purposes. These developments pose increasingly
higher demands on fruit growers' information management.
In addition, developments of technologies in the field of the internet, sensors, drones and robotics are
gaining momentum. And that is changing production processes radically toward flexible and
seamlessly integrated systems that support decision-making, self-determination, quick response to
changes and optimal information sharing within the company and the supply chain. We also refer to
this transition as the fourth industrial revolution, or Industry 4.0.
Despite the promising technological developments and the growing need for information, automation
and digitalisation, the fruit sector remains behind compared to other agricultural sectors. The Dutch
Fruit Growers Organisation - in collaboration with FME, Fedecom and Tuinbouw Digital - has asked
Wageningen UR (LEI and Applied Plant Research) to develop a roadmap for automation and
digitalisation in the Dutch fruit cultivation sector. The results of that process include:
• a vision of automation and digitalisation in Dutch fruit cultivation
• insight into the wishes and priorities relating to fulfilling the vision
• a roadmap – an overview of the applications that can be developed and the phasing
• an approach for collaboration at sector level on implementation of that roadmap (innovation circle)
Fruit 4.0 – a vision of automation and digitalisation in Dutch fruit cultivation
During the next few years, we expect the implementation of the following developments:
• Intensive collaboration between companies in the fruit-production supply chain and suppliers of
technology, as well as people involved in mechanisation and software firms. This will lead to
increased availability of technologically advanced solutions specifically tailored to the fruit sector.
• By using those technically advanced solutions, fruit farms and the supply chain as a whole will
become increasingly efficient and produce fruit in a more sustainable way. And that will all occur
while manual labour is reduced and product quality increases. The result will be higher returns.
• Encouraging the development of advanced technological solutions for the sector, specifically by and
for Dutch companies, will establish a competitive advantage in respect to foreign companies. This
approach will lead to Dutch fruit - which will stand out in quality, sustainability and efficiency - and
the technological solutions that make that possible, both being important export products.
Through these developments, the fruit sector will achieve the transition to Fruit 4.0 during the next
few years. This means that the fourth industrial revolution will transform the fruit sector into flexible,
autonomous and demand-driven production systems, which will integrate seamlessly into the supply
chain. To make this vision tangible, the industry has set out a mission for the long-term: the sector
will develop a multifunctional robot that is able to perform multiple, complex operations in the orchard
autonomously.
As shown in the figure below, a control cycle that includes smart sensing & monitoring, smart analysis
& planning and smart control is central to Fruit 4.0. Data management is the lubricant that will oil the
wheels of change, set them in motion and keep up the momentum, and it is the first step required for
developing the robot mentioned above. Information and communication technology (ICT) is thus the
heart of Fruit 4.0. It is very important that ICT systems are set up in a way that supports the
necessary flexibility, integration and autonomy. The information architecture for Fruit 4.0 comprises
three layers:
10 | LEI Rapport 2016-004