CW Greenport Receives Grant to Enhance Digital Resilience of Horticultural Sector

Cyber Resilience Centre Greenport (CW Greenport) has received funding for the 'Resistant Growers' project: a cybersecure and sustainable horticulture through digital data innovation. This grant allows CW Greenport and its partners to take the next step in increasing the digital resilience of the horticultural sector. 

Strengthen horticulture's cyber resilience  

Digitalisation in the horticultural and agricultural sectors is rapidly increasing. These developments provide many opportunities, but also make organisations more susceptible to cyberattacks. Growers and chain partners are increasingly dealing with incidents that cause major disruptions to their operations. With this new project, CW Greenport develops a novel approach to disseminate cyber threat intel across the sector in a secure, understandable and targeted manner. From suppliers, growers to trade organisations.

How?

The digital security of growers and the entire horticultural chain is strengthened by sharing reliable and accessible cyber threat information in an innovative way. By enriching national threat intel with information from entrepreneurs, a rich and up-to-date picture of cyber threats and cyber attack attempts arises. This information is translated into concrete action points for growers, suppliers and advisers. Through various channels, this knowledge is disseminated and used to increase the digital resilience of the entire chain. With the aim of a future-proof and cyber-aware horticultural cluster that can resist cyber attacks. 

 

"The power of this data innovation lies in combining, analysing and disseminating national cyber threat information, attacks and signals from the daily practice of growers and IT organisations. By making this information -with action points included- available to entrepreneurs via trusted organisations, we make cybersecurity tangible, relevant and directly applicable."

Data exchange and setting up preconditions  

Within the 'Resistant Growers project', a structure will be designed to collect and share current cyber threats & attacks within the horticulture chain, in a secure and accessible way. In the first phase, a select group of growers and IT suppliers will start testing and improving the method, which will then be scaled up. 

At the same time, preconditions will be created in the sector for applying threat intelligence in the organisations. This will include raising awareness within the vegetable and fruit sector, in collaboration with GroentenFruit Huis. To this end, a proven method applied in the floriculture sector together with Royal FloraHolland will be used. The scope will be gradually expanded, with the aim of involving at least 100 companies and 15 IT suppliers within the project period. In doing so, a connection is actively sought with IT suppliers in order to structurally use their knowledge and networks to increase digital resilience. 

Strong collaboration for cyber resilient horticulture  

The initiative is a collaboration of five organisations: Greenport West-Holland, Security Delta (The two initiators of CW Greenport), Banken Champignons, L.A. van Schie and GroentenFruit Huis. 

Implementation is partly made possible with funding from RVO, commissioned by the Ministry of LVVN, and the European Union.  

In addition, several partners are involved in realising this digital data innovation. For instance, grower Koppert Cress is taking part in the threat information pilot group. Grower associations and trade organisations such as Royal Zon, Meeder Group and Nature's Pride are actively involved. IT suppliers Rovecom and BXTR are contributing their expertise. In addition, there is collaboration with Greenports Netherlands, Greenport Gelderland, Greenport Boskoop and Glastuinbouw Nederland.   

"The 'Resistant Growers' project is an innovative step towards a resilient and future-proof horticulture sector. By investing in smart data, knowledge sharing and practical applications, we are working towards a sector that is digitally well prepared for the future." 

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