News item | 11-11-2025 | 08:55
From November 11, 2025 to January 7, 2026, a subsidy will be available for the second time to make agriculture and horticulture more future-proof through robotization and digitalization. Think of robots that help with milking, sowing or packaging products. A total of €10.47 million is available for this subsidy. Eligible projects will also become part of the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) network.
Strengthen robotization and digitalization
In the Outline Agreement and the Coalition Program, the government has focused on innovation in agriculture and horticulture through, among other things, robotization and digitalization. The government is doing this to ensure that these sectors remain among the most competitive, innovative and sustainable in the world in the future.
Projects that contribute to digitalization and robotization receive a subsidy through the Digitalization Action Program and the Robots to Farming Practice innovation program. These programs aim to use digitalization and robotization for future-proof agriculture and horticulture, improving soil quality, water quality and animal welfare and strengthening biodiversity. Innovations that focus on increasing labor productivity are also eligible for this subsidy.
More money and network
Projects could apply for this subsidy for the first time in 2024. 19 projects jointly received €8.46 million. This year the budget has been increased to € 10.47 million and extra attention is paid to robots, specifically within the primary agricultural process and the post-processing of agricultural products. These include, for example, robots that harvest and feed, but also robots that select, package and prepare products for sale. This year too, projects that receive a subsidy will be added to the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) network. This network exists to learn from each other’s projects.
Conditions of application
Companies that work in a partnership on a project involving innovation, digitalization and robotization in agriculture or horticulture can submit their application between November 11, 2025 and January 7, 2026. The application must meet several conditions. The most important thing is that the partnership consists of at least one farmer and one or more other participants, such as a technology developer, knowledge institution and chain or industry organization. Applications are assessed on quality, not in order of receipt. The maximum subsidy per application is €500,000 per partnership. Detailed conditions and help for applicants can be found via the website of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency.