Foreword by Martin van Gogh Green Qubits
one, or both at once.
This Digitalisation Vision for Greenhouse Horticulture gives a clear description of how we
‘Quantum computing’ is almost past the
can apply digitalisation to (once again) become
experimental stage; the first practical tests have
world leaders in the market for vegetables and
started and there’s still a lot to be done. Once the
ornamental plant products. This is the core of the
technology is working properly, the consequences
‘Feeding and Greening the Megacities’ strategy,
could be enormous. The impact on horticultural
which I was privileged to develop and summarise
applications in the fields of artificial intelligence,
a few years back in the widely-used infographic.
machine learning and data science will be huge.
The strategy consists of the pillars Knowledge
This is also true of the pharmaceutical industry,
& Innovation, Selling products and services to
health care, the security industry and energy.
(residents of ) Western European megacities,
Entirely new products, such as super-powerful
and International sales of such concepts. New
batteries, strong fibres and rust-proof paint,
technology is needed to achieve this, but more than
are expected to see the light of day thanks to
anything it’s essential that we think differently and
quantum computing. Other options include climate
that we realise that digitalisation is much more
simulations and smart robots. Quantum computers
than just an opportunity; it is essential if we are to
leave traditional computers far behind. This also
survive.
makes them a serious threat to cryptography. Their computing power is so enormous that encrypted
Take ‘quantum computing’, for example. It’s a
data is no longer secure. Even advanced encryption
technology that seems to have escaped from a
can be cracked. It’s hard for us to imagine what this
science fiction film, but one in which we in the
will mean.
Netherlands – particularly in Delft – are leading the way for the rest of the world. The new internet
There is no doubt that our horticulture is moving
could well be ‘made in Delft’.
towards a digitalised future. Digitalisation is inevitable if we are increase productivity and
To illustrate the difference between traditional and
maintain competitiveness. These fantastic
quantum computers, research firm Gartner takes
developments create important opportunities for
a library as an example. A classical computer reads
business in the horticultural industry, both in the
all those books one by one, one after the other. A
primary sector and in the supply chain.
quantum computer reads millions of books at once, But the road to digitalisation is also full of
and finishes more quickly too.
challenges. With this Digitalisation Vision for So quantum computers operate completely
Greenhouse Horticulture, which deals with the
differently to classical computers. They make use
role of digitalisation in ‘Feeding and Greening the
of the idiosyncratic characteristics of particles that
Megacities’, the sector will be able to prepare for
are smaller than atoms. Standard computers work
the digital transformation, for example by working
with bits. They can only deal with two different
on making data widely accessible, and developing
values: zeroes and ones. Quantum computers
awareness and an open attitude amongst business
work with ‘quantum bits’, or ‘qubits’ for short.
owners. Because no matter how digital the future
They are able to assume both possible states
is, humans are the ones in charge and in order to
simultaneously: on and off. They can be on a zero, a
do that they – the business owner or the employee
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