CropX and BoerenNatuur help Dutch farmers protect biodiversity

CropX Technologies, Inc., a digital farm management solutions company, is advancing European biodiversity goals by helping farmers adopt farming practices that protect important species. Through a longstanding partnership with BoerenNatuur, an organization of 40 farmer collectives across the Netherlands, CropX built and maintains the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) system that helps farmers voluntarily apply for subsidies to adopt conservation practices.

CropX has a history of working with clients to build digital tools that support sustainable farming practices. Using the digital system developed by CropX, farmers receive over 85 million euros yearly to adopt practices such as delaying the hay harvest to allow for nesting birds to complete their birthing cycle and creating borders with flowers to increase the available habitat for insects.

For BoerenNatuur, the digital recording and mapping system developed by CropX replaces time-consuming paperwork for the farmers and the collectives, the members of BoerenNatuur.

Evelien Verbij, director of BoerenNatuur: "We are very happy with the valuable input CropX provides on the different challenges we face. Together we are building a sustainable and efficient ICT system that supports collectives and farmers with their important work for biodiversity on farmland."

The BoerenNatuur and CropX team, from left to right: Inger Wilms, BoerenNatuur Counseler; Denick Murray, CropX Software Engineer; Kristina Gancheva, CropX Software Engineer; Jeroen Stoker, CropX Software Engineer; and Christa Huizing, BoerenNatuur.

The relationship began in 2013 with a pilot of 300 farmer participants, and as the capabilities of the system grew, so did the participants, which now number over 11,000 farmers, or around 20% of the farms in the Netherlands.

"I am proud of our efficient collaboration with BoerenNatuur. This means that the available budget can be used for what it is intended: protecting biodiversity in the Netherlands," says Janneke Hadders, CEO of CropX Europe.