Agri-Tech Entrepreneurs Eye The Vertical Landscape For New Growth
Newest city farmers mix soilless mediums with advanced technologies to create commercial farming spaces in the city
Lufa Farms co-founders Mohamed Hage and Lauren Rathmell in one of their greenhouses.Courtesy Lufa Farms
February 20, 2019
Lufa Farms is taking to the rooftops to bring its sustainable urban farming vision to reality. The Montreal-based entrepreneurs have become recognized leaders in indoor farming innovation, steadily expanding and refining their rooftop greenhouse concept.
They’re not alone in exploring the potential of urban commercial farming.
Lufa Farms is part of a growing number of agricultural technology entrepreneurs who are finding innovative ways to combine soilless processes such as hydroponics, aquaponics and/or aeroponics with advanced growing technologies to create commercial farming operations in urban markets.
With three rooftop sites up and running, Lauren Rathmell, greenhouse director and co-founder, says they’ll soon be ready to take their concept on the road to other major cities across Canada. “It’s urban agriculture at its best. Growing in a controlled environment allows us to produce crops all year round, closer to where people live, in a sustainable way. The beauty of moving to rooftops is that no new land is required.”