Corné Braber

From the crop to the possibilities of tomorrow

My story with iCrop begins with agriculture itself. As a crop manager in international onion production, I experienced how much goes into a successful growing season. Monitoring the crop, talking with growers and staff, keeping an eye on the weather and making decisions whose results sometimes only become clear months later. That takes knowledge, experience and commitment.

Over time, I became increasingly interested in what technology could add. Back in 2011, I was already working with the possibilities of satellite imagery at Mijnakker.nl. Seeing from space where a crop grows differently was a fascinating development. The next question was just as interesting: what can an agronomist do with that information? Which decision does it improve?

That question has stayed with me ever since.

In 2013, I started AppsforAgri. Smartphones and digital applications opened up opportunities to bring knowledge closer to everyday crop management. Much has changed since then, but my starting point has remained the same: technology must prove its value in the work of the people who use it.

For me, iCrop brings these things together. The expertise of a crop agronomist, the relationship with the grower and the information built up over a season. There is so much value in that. I want us to make better use of it and pass it on, without recording it taking up more and more time.

That is why I like to stay in touch with our customers. About a challenging field visit, a busy working week or a small frustration that comes up every day. That is often where a useful improvement begins.

These days, more of my work takes place behind a screen. Yet the field remains my point of reference. Ultimately, that is where we find out whether what we build really helps.