After more than 25 years at Delphy, you know 'how the hares run' in the sector. In 25 years, Delphy CEO Jacco van der Wekken has seen a shift from just advisory work to developing and applying knowledge more together with the grower. "Developing knowledge and applying knowledge have become much more intertwined. This can be at the company level, where you will develop a new application for a grower. But it can also be a group of growers who want to do something specific with a crop."
It is therefore important for researchers and advisers to communicate intensively with each other. "Economies of scale have been an important driving force for that development, but also the disappearance of collectives, i.e. the product boards that did collective research for the sector. That is a shame on the one hand, but on the other hand, it has allowed growers to be much more involved in research and development. They not only consume but also initiate and help think about the design."
Shaking hands in the photo: Johan Maris (Peterson) and Jacco van der Wekken (Delphy)
Research is collaboration
So Delphy focuses on practical research, but Jacco certainly also sees the importance of fundamental research for the sector. "If something new is thought up at the university in Wageningen or Delft, we look at how to translate that into practice. So we have to actively seek each other out to create added value."
As Jacco noted, cooperation with growers is also hugely close. "Growers are involved from the beginning of the research process, so they can immediately apply the knowledge gained in their operations. By doing so, you create an advantage for the company in question, but ultimately you also help the entire sector with it. After all, Dutch horticulture became big through knowledge exchange, and that mentality is still there."
Rolling out knowledge internationally
Recently, Delphy was taken over by Peterson Solutions. Jacco calls that company a party that fits like a glove. "They understand how the agriculture and horticulture sector works. They speak the same language as we do. The cultural fit is completely there."
Delphy has been looking much more across the border recently anyway, Jacco says. "In all kinds of countries, people are asking themselves the question: how do I produce enough food of the right quality?
The takeover by Peterson Solutions makes it possible for us to engage with those parties. In doing so, we work alongside Control Union, the business unit that does certification and auditing."
A key wish in this respect is that the knowledge Delphy has and is developing is rolled out internationally. "We need to make sure that the knowledge ecosystem we have in north-western Europe will also work in other countries. Peterson's great strength is that they have branches in 80 countries with a focus on agriculture and horticulture. That gives us a huge boost: we are now a month on the road, and we are already talking about Delphy branches in Malaysia, North America, and Saudi Arabia."
A second spearhead is digitalization. "Think for example of the crop models, the QMS models we use in autonomous growing - we can also use these more widely internationally. Together with Peterson, we can realize those ambitions."
For more information:
Delphy
Jacco van der Wekken
T: +31 317 49 15 78
M: +31 6 51 07 36 74
[email protected]
delphy.nl