About NPPL: Bringing precision farming into practice
The Dutch National Fieldlab for Precision Farming (NPPL) was launched in 2018 to help farmers turn promising new technologies into practical solutions that work on real farms. Since then, more than 300 farmers and growers have participated in the project.
From the start, the central idea has been simple: test technology in practice, together with farmers and independent experts, and share both the successes and the limitations. Farmers participating in NPPL work closely with experts from Wageningen University & Research (WUR). Their experiences, results and lessons learned are shared openly with other farmers.
What has NPPL achieved?
During its first years, NPPL helped farmers gain practical experience with technologies such as GPS and variable-rate applications, crop and soil sensors, drones, satellite data and site-specific crop protection and fertilisation.
The project has shown that precision farming is about much more than buying technology. Successful adoption depends on reliable data, good integration between machines and software, practical support and, ultimately, a clear agronomic and economic benefit for the farmer.
From precision farming to robotics and autonomy
NPPL has since broadened its scope. Under NPPL+R, particular attention is being given to agricultural robots and autonomous systems.
Farmers and WUR experts test technologies under real farming conditions, including autonomous tractors and field robots, mechanical and precision weed control, spot spraying, smart implements and autonomous systems for arable farming and fruit production.
The focus is not on demonstrating technology for its own sake. NPPL wants to establish what really works, under which conditions, what it costs and what farmers need to implement it successfully.
Towards 2030
Towards 2030, NPPL will continue to focus on technologies that can help Dutch agriculture produce more efficiently and sustainably while reducing inputs and environmental impact.
Important themes include robotics and autonomy, artificial intelligence, data and interoperability, precision crop protection, smart weed control and more targeted use of fertilisers and other inputs.
The ambition remains unchanged: bring farmers, researchers and technology providers together, test innovations independently in practice and make the resulting knowledge available to the entire farming sector.
NPPL is where agricultural innovation meets farming practice
More about NPPL
Precision farming technologies are not always as ready for practical use as their market introduction suggests. Often, they are not simply ‘plug and play’. NPPL helps farmers and growers apply these technologies on their farms, with practical support from WUR experts.
NPPL aims to:
- increase yields
- reduce costs
- reduce environmental impact
- improve food quality
Selection of participants
Participants are selected based on their interest in precision farming, geographical spread and willingness to share their experiences with other farmers and growers in the Netherlands.
Participants do not need to be technology pioneers. They are farmers who want to move forward and explore what new technologies can offer their businesses. Others can learn from the steps they take, including the challenges they encounter.
Follow the NPPL participants and their practical trials on our website. Discover their plans, progress and results, the difficulties they face, and the time, effort and costs involved.
This page is available in English; the rest of the website is in Dutch. If you have any questions about NPPL, please feel free to contact us.
When applying these technologies, farmers and the expert team may encounter challenges for which there is no immediate answer. Your product or expertise could help them find a solution.
NPPL welcomes technology providers and other businesses that want to contribute to the project and share their ideas. Do you have a product, technology or specialist knowledge that could support the sustainable use of precision farming? Please contact Corne Lugtenburg to discuss how you could contribute.
Email: corne.lugtenburg@wur.nl
Tel.: +31 317 489 671