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Seeing is believing on the farm
Farmers in our Interra Farm Network show that sustainable practices can go hand-in-hand with productive agriculture
Growers worldwide are increasingly confronted with, pressure on natural resources like soil, water and biodiversity. They need to achieve high yields, while also taking care of the environment. These two aims are often thought to be mutually exclusive – but growers know that sustainable practices can go hand-in-hand with agriculture using modern technologies. To demonstrate this, we’ve brought together growers to form the Interra Farm Network, which helps NGOs, students, decision-makers and other farmers get first-hand insights into sustainable practices through on-farm demonstrations and farm tours. For visitors, seeing is believing on the farm.
Our Interra Farm Network showcases farms that integrate the safe and effective use of crop protection products with environmental and conservation practices. As our partners on this initiative, growers share knowledge of their working farm and allow groups of visitors to tour their land to experience sustainable productive agriculture for themselves. For example, visitors to an Interra Farm can see wildflower margins and count the number of bee species present. Nearby, they can examine a Heliosec device collecting pesticide waste for safe disposal and learn about safety equipment for handling pesticides and treated seed.
The eight farms in our network are in Belgium, Portugal, Poland, Czech Republic, Italy, Hungary and Morocco and are of different sizes, productions and environmental characteristics. More than 4,000 people have visited the farms to learn about sustainable agriculture and safe use practices.
Interra Farm highlights
Jolly Farm, Belgium
Focus: biodiversity conservation
Our Interra farm in Belgium has planted flowering field margins, trees and hedge rows on about 20 hectares of the farm. This has helped to maintain a high level of biodiversity across the farm by providing food and habitat for pollinators like bees and butterflies. In turn, the pollinators return to the field, helping to pollinate crops and increase yields.
Lisbon Farm, Portugal
Focus: Training on safe use
The Interra Farm in Portugal is managed in association with the University of Lisbon. Every year, we sponsor a competition among students to test them on pest identification and technical skills. As future agronomists, they learn practical advice on how to properly clean and calibrate spray equipment, as well as manage empty containers and promote the safe use of pesticides
The main purpose of the competition, “24 Hours Agriculture” is to inspire and train the next generation of agronomists.
Plotar Farm, Hungary
Focus: soil health and biodiversity
Our Interra farm in Hungary converted 600 hectares of traditional tilled soil to conservation tillage by adopting our CONTIVO solution.
The farm showcases soil management techniques such as crop rotations, which protect soil from erosion while also helping to maintain soil biodiversity.
TechniCenter, Morocco
Focus: Safe use and Storage
For growers, the simple act of keeping a shelf clear and organized can be a first step in staying safe. Our Interra farm in Morocco demonstrates how to keep product organized – which helps product longevity and performance while also preventing unnecessary contamination and accidental spills. Visiting growers are encouraged to replicate the model of organization on their own farms, which takes a relatively small investment in capital.
