Project ‘Farm of the Future’ in Lelystad paused in 2026: five questions and answers

WUR researcher Pieter de Wolf was one of the initiators of the project in 2020. According to him, the Farm of the Future at the experimental farm of Wageningen Plant Research in Lelystad offers a unique setting for applied research. “Here, we develop and test innovative solutions for a future-proof agricultural system. For many farmers, innovations are still too risky or uncertain to adopt straight away. We act as an intermediate step towards practice. Within the project, we do not carry out standard research with repetition and control plots, but instead build experiential knowledge in a systems setting. This gives us insight into what works and what does not, which solutions can be combined, and where bottlenecks, risks and limitations arise.”

In the project’s Fieldlab, a 20-hectare plot, researchers ‘stack’ multiple innovations, explains Lennart Fuchs. “This allows us to explore solutions for the wide range of challenges facing agriculture. For example, we work with crop diversity and flower strips to strengthen biodiversity. We use controlled traffic farming with fixed wheel tracks to improve soil structure. We also design rotations with sufficient rest crops and green manures to build soil quality, apply an integrated crop management (ICM) strategy to improve crop health and significantly reduce the use of chemical crop protection products, and use a circular fertilisation strategy.”

The Farm of the Future project in Lelystad is about much more than research alone, De Wolf emphasises. “One of its successes is the conversation we facilitate about the future of agriculture. Through an excursion programme, we offer visitors the opportunity to engage in dialogue with our experts and with each other. This can lead to valuable discussions, even between people with very different views. Some believe the agricultural transition is not moving fast enough, while others feel everything should stay the same. By bringing these perspectives together and sharing knowledge and experience, we help move the debate forward.”

Over recent years, the Farm of the Future in Lelystad has grown into one of WUR’s flagship projects. A lack of funding means that in 2026 the project will largely be paused, while options for continuation are explored.

Why is there no longer funding available for the Farm of the Future project in Lelystad?

De Wolf: “Over the past six years, the project was funded through a subsidy from the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature (LVVN), with co-funding from the province of Flevoland and WUR. In July 2025, the ministry’s subsidy ended, after which we were able to submit a new application under the ‘RVO Experimenteerlocaties’ scheme.

Partly due to the success of our Farm of the Future project, similar initiatives have emerged in other regions in recent years. Combined with a limited budget for the scheme, competition was strong: only three of the 25 applications were funded. Unfortunately, we were not among them. We explored alternative funding options, but were unable to secure these at such short notice. We are, however, actively exploring a renewed form of collaboration with the province of Flevoland.

What does this mean for the Farm of the Future project in Lelystad?

Fuchs: “With the loss of funding, we will not be able to further develop and optimise the system next year. This affects strategies for fertilisation and weed control, for example, as well as the use of robots. Several new plans will also have to be put on hold. Supported by more than 20 partners in Flevoland, our submitted proposal included plans for a new practical experiment in Tollebeek, focusing on seed potatoes and tulips. We can no longer start this project.

In addition, the pause means losing a visible and recognisable place for discussions about the future of agriculture. There is also a risk that the network of partners and experts we have built up over recent years may weaken during the pause year.”

What activities within the Farm of the Future project in Lelystad will continue?

De Wolf: “On the 20-hectare plot, we will grow cereals in the coming year. As a break crop, cereals are a good option because they place relatively little pressure on the soil. We will keep the project’s fixed wheel tracks intact. These permanent tracks have resulted in a very strong soil structure, which we do not want to undo, so that the project can be resumed at a later stage.

Another element that will continue is our voucher scheme. Through this scheme, farmers can use the expertise and facilities of WUR Open Field Crops in Lelystad at a reduced rate. Vouchers can be used, for example, to test innovations such as precision agriculture. In this way, we can continue to work on the innovation challenges facing future agriculture.”

Fuchs: “To maintain our visibility, we will continue to communicate and receive visitors. We are still working out exactly how this will take shape, but it is important to us to keep the conversation going about lessons learned and possible solutions to existing challenges. The experimental site in Lelystad is ideally suited for this, as a great deal of innovation-related research takes place here.”

De Wolf: “Two years ago, the Farm of the Future project received a legacy donation. We want to use this funding carefully to share our vision and increase the project’s impact. In early 2026, we will carry out a comprehensive evaluation to highlight the lessons learned more clearly. The legacy may also support targeted investments and the development of new projects and collaborations.”

What are the consequences of the pause year for other projects in Lelystad and at other Farm of the Future locations in the Netherlands?

Fuchs: “The pause year has no consequences for other Open Field Crops projects at the Lelystad experimental site. Research into, for example, strip cropping, sustainable crop protection and agroforestry will continue as usual, as these projects have separate funding. The same applies to projects related to the Farm of the Future and to Farm of the Future initiatives at other locations in the Netherlands, although these sites are also still searching for stable funding. Only the Farm of the Future Zuidoostelijk Zand has secured funding for the next five years under the agricultural innovation programme."

De Wolf: “One of the key requirements is to become less dependent on public funding, such as large-scale subsidies. If we want to address long-term challenges, we need to do so through public–private partnerships. That is why we are calling on the private sector, agricultural organisations and other partners to get involved.

At the same time, we appeal to national politics, especially the parties currently forming a new government. Give regions the space to develop area-based policies and make funding available for this. Initiatives like the Farm of the Future are crucial for testing what works and what does not in a regional context. As WUR, we can play a facilitating role by researching solutions for future-proof agriculture, but ultimately the government holds the key.”

Despite the necessary pause year, Fuchs and De Wolf remain optimistic. Fuchs: “Thanks in part to the Farm of the Future project, a movement towards a future-proof agricultural system has gained momentum in recent years. We see that a great deal is possible when you set clear goals and start testing and developing new solutions in practice. This message can help bridge differences between stakeholders.”

De Wolf: “The pause in Lelystad shows how vulnerable this type of research is. At the same time, it highlights how much value is placed on locations where agricultural innovation comes together in research, dialogue and hands-on experience. That need is still there, and the challenges are only growing. The foundations for addressing multiple issues have now been laid. It would be fantastic if a broad coalition were to come together in 2026 to support a continuation.”