Industry Trends: Future Lab

Connecting Digitalisation, Sustainability, and Profitability

At FRUIT LOGISTICA 2025, Antonella Pucci of BASF presented at the Future Lab, illustrating how digital innovation and regenerative agriculture can drive meaningful change in the agri-food value chain. She emphasised the potential of digital decision support systems and sustainability measurement tools to help farmers optimise resources, reduce water consumption and unlock new opportunities, such as carbon credits. By combining technology with regenerative practices, Pucci outlined a pathway towards a more resilient and sustainable food system.

Quantifying Sustainability

Pucci explained that a central challenge is not just to talk about sustainability, but to measure it. BASF’s spin-off, Horta (named after the ancient Etruscan goddess of agriculture), provides digital tools that generate life-cycle assessments, sustainability KPIs and bespoke crop strategies. With over 190 indicators, the system enables farmers and food companies to track inputs, optimise irrigation and fertilisation, and reduce emissions.

From Decision Support to Carbon Credits

Horta’s portfolio combines digital innovation with measurable sustainability. Its Decision Support Systems (DSS) integrate weather, soil and crop data to optimise resource use, while the Sustainability Tool quantifies key performance indicators and ensures full traceability. To guarantee data quality, Horta works with established certification bodies such as GlobalG.A.P. and is co-developing a new standard, the Environmental Sustainability Solution (ESS). This certification aims to give fresh produce not only a mark of food quality, but also a recognised stamp of environmental performance – offering a clear differentiator across the value chain.

Pilot projects have already produced impressive results: tomato quality increased by 10 per cent, water productivity rose by 32 per cent, and farmers achieved a 70 per cent increase in net income. BASF is now venturing into carbon markets, building on these operational gains. In viticulture, combining DSS with regenerative practices such as perennial grassing has generated over 6,200 certified credits, creating new revenue streams while enhancing soil health simultaneously.

Verdict: Measurable Sustainability is the Future

The session revealed a clear trend: digitalisation and sustainability must go hand in hand. The tools are available, from traceability to carbon markets, but adoption will depend on industry-wide collaboration and regulatory openness.

Key takeaway: By quantifying sustainability, agriculture can reduce its environmental footprint and unlock economic opportunities for farmers and cooperatives.

This newsblog article was created in co-operation with Fruitnet Media International.