Belgian potato supply chain commits to digital data platform WatchITgrow

Boerenbond, Belgapom and VITO are teaming up to strengthen the future of the Belgian potato chain by further developing the online data platform WatchITgrow.

WatchITgrow is a Belgian platform launched to support growers to monitor arable crops and vegetables, in view of increasing yields, both qualitatively and quantitatively. WatchITgrow uses various types of data starting with satellite data combined with e.g. weather data, soil data, IoT data and field data provided by the grower.

WatchITgrow aims to support individual growers to improve their yields and achieve a more sustainable production. WatchITgrow allows growers to gather massive amounts of data via a personal account. These data will be combined using new technologies such as big data analytics and machine learning to provide growers with more timely and personalized advice.

In the upcoming months Boerenbond and Belgapom will first focus on getting growers acquainted with the platform and assist them in gathering all crop-related data in the independent platform, hosted by VITO, guaranteeing data-privacy, data-security and data access.

Growers that collect their crop-related data via their personal account and submit these data via WatchITgrow can receive a financial bonus of 250 – 750 euro from their buyer. With this financial support the buyers want to support the individual growers and encourage them to use new digital technologies in order to strengthen our agricultural sector.

Next to the financial support to further develop WatchITgrow, Boerenbond and Belgapom will also actively promote the use of the platform towards the entire agricultural sector.