A delegation led by the Dutch Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Silvio Erkens, recently visited ATB to learn about the latest research highlights and to further discussions on future collaboration. The focus was primarily on the topics of agricultural robotics and emissions in agriculture.
The visit follows on from the trilateral Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in January 2026 between eight partners from the agricultural industry, agricultural robotics and agricultural engineering research in France, the Netherlands and Germany. The MoU, in which ATB, the Agrotech Valley Forum and Wageningen University are all involved, forms the strategic basis for closer European cooperation in developing sustainable and resilient agriculture in the face of global challenges such as water scarcity, climate change and pest infestations.
Following a welcome by ATB Director Prof. Dr Barbara Sturm and the Head of the Agricultural Mechatronics Department, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Cornelia Weltzien, the delegation was given an overview of the institute’s research work. During the subsequent tour, the delegation gained exclusive insights: Dr David Janke presented the ATB’s boundary layer wind tunnel, a facility unique in Europe for measuring and modelling airflows in the agricultural sector, for example to optimise emission reduction in livestock housing. In the Digital Agriculture Field Lab, ATB researchers provided an overview of the latest developments in autonomous field robots and data-driven cropping systems.
Deputy Minister Erkens and his delegation showed great interest in the approach practised at ATB of closely integrating scientific findings, technological development and practical application. In particular, the technological solutions presented for more sustainable and efficient food production were very well received by the guests. During the joint discussions, there was agreement on how essential intensive cross-border cooperation is to making future innovations available to agricultural businesses more quickly and in a more targeted manner.
Prof. Dr Barbara Sturm is delighted with the high level of interest: “We are very honoured by the visit of Deputy Minister Erkens and his delegation. We are delighted that our approach of translating excellent research directly into practical applications has been so positively received. The Netherlands, and in particular Wageningen University, Fedecom and FME, are key strategic partners for us. The new MoU provides a fantastic foundation for us to join forces and work together on technological solutions for a sustainable European agriculture.”