Roundtable recap: Technology as a Strategic Edge for Poultry and Horticulture
On 18 March 2026, Dutch Poultry Centre brought together 28 participants at WUR Wageningen for its first Roundtable of the year: “The Strategic Edge – Technology as a Competitive Force.” With a full room, sharp discussions and strong interaction between the poultry and horticulture sectors, the afternoon underlined how relevant this theme has become.
Two perspectives, one shared challenge
Ronald Kuijken, CTO at Vencomatic Group, outlined the current state of technology in poultry companies, highlighting where digitalisation, automation and data are already creating value – and where adoption still lags behind.
Frederik Vossenaar, Executive Advisor at Dutch Greenhouse Delta, then broadened the view with developments in horticulture, sharing how high-tech greenhouses and integrated systems are reshaping that sector and what poultry businesses can learn from this trajectory.
Under the guidance of moderator Rick van Emous, the group moved from presentations to open discussion. Participants explored where technology truly strengthens our competitive position, what is needed to accelerate adoption, and how collaboration across sectors can help Europe keep pace in a world where the US and China are moving fast.
Key takeaways from the afternoon included:
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Technology is no longer a “nice to have”, but a strategic necessity for maintaining competitiveness.
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Cross-sector learning – in this case between poultry and horticulture – helps identify practical solutions and avoid reinventing the wheel.
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Data, integration and long-term partnerships with tech providers are just as important as individual innovations.
The format clearly resonated with the group: candid dialogue, sector‑spanning perspectives and concrete examples from practice.
Next steps
Dutch Poultry Centre will build on this first Roundtable with follow-up sessions later in 2026, continuing to connect members and partners around themes where technology, strategy and international competitiveness come together.
Presentations:
2026 Presentatie Ronald Kuijken AI in Poultry Farming Roundtable WUR Maart
A warm thank you to all speakers and participants for their contributions and engagement. We look forward to continuing the conversation at our next Roundtable.
