The horticultural sector is seeing record growth in access to technology. Sensors, monitoring tools, software, automation, and AI are now more widely available to growers. At the same time, greenhouse management is becoming more complicated as pressure to improve efficiency grows, labor becomes scarcer and costlier, and market demands continue to evolve.
However, having more technology does not automatically mean having a better greenhouse.
Bram Stroot, CEO of AG Strategy, emphasizes that the main challenge in an intensive greenhouse operation is determining which technology can address a specific issue, enhance a current process, or deliver a quantifiable economic advantage. Unfortunately, the criteria for selecting a particular technology are not always clear to the grower.
“The question shouldn’t be which technology to install, but which will best help us meet our priorities,” he said.
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Start with the farm, not the technology
“A common mistake many growers make is beginning with the technology itself. Usually, a supplier introduces a sensor, AI platform, or automation solution first, then they attempt to find a way to use it,” he said.
According to Stroot, the process should work the other way around. “The first question should be: What is currently limiting the farm’s yield or profitability?”
If water availability is the top priority, accurate monitoring of irrigation and drainage can improve returns. If climate variability is limiting production, weather sensors and more advanced control strategies may be more appropriate.
“Technology can often complicate a greenhouse instead of simplifying it. I’ve always believed that effective technology should make greenhouse management easier, even if the underlying technology is sophisticated.”
This is one aspect Stroot values in his work with INTA: their approach isn’t simply to add more equipment, sensors, and screens to a greenhouse, but to integrate functions so managing the farm as a whole becomes easier for the grower.
“The goal is to keep the system simple and user-friendly, while managing costs effectively and customizing the solution to meet each client’s unique requirements.”
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Artificial intelligence needs a solid foundation
Artificial intelligence is gaining significant attention in horticulture for good reason. It offers vast potential in analyzing large data sets to recognize patterns, forecast crop performance, and assist or automate decision processes.
“However, AI is not a magic layer that can simply be added to any greenhouse. For an AI system to provide meaningful benefits, it needs a reliable and sufficiently consistent data set.”
Sensors need to precisely measure relevant parameters, be correctly positioned, and reliably collect data in an accessible format. Additionally, there should be a clear connection between the data gathered and the decisions the system aims to support.
“For example, we can collect data on temperature, humidity, radiation, and irrigation volumes to gather useful information. However, if the grower does not grasp the importance of this data, or if the system cannot convert it into actionable insights, adding another dashboard might only add to their workload.”
According to Stroot, an effective system should do more than just recount past events. “Ideally, it should help the grower understand what is happening, why it’s happening, what action they should take.”
Artificial intelligence is most effective when supported by a strong foundation of sensors, accurate data, suitable control systems, and sound agronomic knowledge. At the same time, Stroot points out that implementing AI may require specialist technicians and additional training.
“AI can also lead to greater reliance on external consultants and incur additional costs in training, time, and money. All of this must be taken into account when assessing the true return on investment of a solution.”
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Integration must be considered from the outset
AG Strategy highlights another challenge: the growing number of standalone technologies being installed in modern greenhouses. Growers often use separate systems for climate control, irrigation, crop-monitoring sensors, energy management, and data analysis, creating complex, fragmented setups.
“Each system may work perfectly well on its own. The problem arises when they cannot communicate with one another.”
In a high-tech greenhouse, climate control and irrigation are interconnected. Temperature, radiation, and humidity affect crop transpiration, shaping irrigation needs. Conversely, irrigation and plant activity also impact interior humidity and climate conditions.
“That’s why interoperability should be considered from the start of an investment, not as an afterthought. Growers need to ask what information a system can exchange, which communication protocols it supports, and whether it can integrate with the equipment already installed in the greenhouse.”
Stroot recognizes the need to balance independence from a particular supplier with the advantages of a well-integrated system, citing INTA as a notable example of this strategy.
“I especially appreciate the focus on combining fertigation with climate management rather than treating them as separate technologies. The aim is not to add more systems, but to have fewer systems that can do more together.”
He believes integration should eventually streamline management and enable adaptation to the grower’s specific needs, while maintaining future flexibility.
“A good investment should leave room to incorporate new sensors, equipment, or features at a later date without having to replace the entire system,” he said.
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How to determine if the investment has been worthwhile
The last and possibly most crucial question is how to assess the results.
“Evaluating a technological investment requires more than just verifying if the equipment functions; it should focus on whether the farm has improved enough to justify the investment.”
The relevant indicators depend on the initial priority. If the aim was to reduce labor requirements, you should measure hours saved. If the priority was to increase water efficiency, you will need to analyze water consumption per kilogram of produce. If the objective was to increase production, compare yield per square meter. If the issue was quality, monitor the proportion of top-grade produce or rejected produce.
Other useful indicators may include:
Fertilizer consumption per kg Energy consumption per kg Number and duration of operational problems Time required for monitoring and decision-making
However, Stroot points to another often-overlooked indicator: whether the technology has made the farm easier to manage.
“A system that saves 5% of water but requires the farmer to spend significantly more time interpreting data might not be the best solution. In contrast, a system that integrates several previously separate processes and offers the grower greater control with less manual effort can provide substantial value, even if that benefit can’t be summed up in a single KPI.”
Technology should simplify greenhouse management
“Ultimately, I believe the best technological investment is not necessarily the most advanced. It is the one that addresses the farm’s most pressing need, provides reliable information, integrates with the rest of the greenhouse, and delivers a measurable improvement.”
The greenhouse of the future will definitely feature more sensors, automation, and smarter software. However, for Stroot, this progress should not require growers to handle a growing number of separate systems.
“The direction should be precisely the opposite: greater technological sophistication and less operational complexity.”
“I consider this a crucial principle in assessing technology for greenhouse horticulture. The goal isn’t to create the most high-tech greenhouse, but to design the most effective one tailored to a particular grower, crop, and business model.”
And, in some cases, he concludes, the smartest investment may not even involve adopting new technology.
“Sometimes we don’t need to add another technology but rather find a way to make the technologies we already have work better together.”
For more information:
AG Strategy
Tel: +34 618 401 843
Email: [email protected]
https://www.agstrategy.eu/