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SINGAPORE - VIDEOS: How IoT And Machine Learning Are Automating Agriculture
A new generation of farmers is tapping the internet of things and machine learning to operate self-sustaining urban farms with minimal supervision
A New Generation of Farmers Is Tapping The internet of Things And Machine Learning To Operate Self-Sustaining Urban Farms With Minimal Supervision
By Aaron Tan, TechTarget
21 Jul 2021
A new generation of farmers is turning to technologies such as the internet of things (IoT) and machine learning to automate agricultural production, alleviating the need to toil on the land while keeping a watchful eye on their crops.
Joining their ranks is Phoebe Xie, director, and co-founder of Singapore-based agrotechnology startup AbyFarm. Teaming up with technology service provider SPTel, Xie is building a smart hydroponics farm in a greenhouse that uses a plethora of IoT sensors, including video cameras, to keep the farm humming around the clock.
“To run a self-regulating farm at the optimal temperature with optimal water and nutrient supply, and to control the quality and taste of vegetables and fruits, we need IoT sensors,” she said, adding that the farm and its sensors collect and monitor thousands of data points, including humidity and temperature.
With the data and in certain environmental conditions, processes and actions are automatically triggered to protect crops from the elements. For instance, if the temperature or humidity gets too high, fans, water curtains, and roof shades are activated in the greenhouse.
Xie said the smart farm, located at a rooftop carpark in Singapore, is also equipped with sensors that monitor the pH and electrical conductivity levels of water. Among the sensors, which are connected to a Lora low-power wide area network, is a dozer that automatically releases acidic or alkaline nutrients to maintain optimal pH levels.
Whereas the farmers of old had to physically inspect their crops, AbyFarm’s agronomists and farmers can do so remotely using video cameras and image recognition technology to identify crops that might be succumbing to disease.
“If the image recognition finds that a plant is likely to be sick, the farmer will be alerted to go onsite to check how the plant is right now,” said Xie, adding that agronomists will also advise farmers on taking corrective actions to prevent disease or restore the health of their crops.
Like any machine learning system, AbyFarm’s algorithms get smarter over time. Each time a crop is affected by disease, data about the occurrence and corrective action is fed into the system, enabling its algorithms to formulate solutions for other farmers with similar crop issues – without consulting an agronomist.
With that, said Xie, even those who are new to the field can use the system to guide them on treating diseased crops, which can be isolated from other crops to prevent cross-infections.
AbyFarm’s automated farming system, which is hosted on SPTel’s private cloud, can also advise farmers on the best time to transplant their crops after germination and harvest them later for sale, said Xie.
Heng Kwee Tong, vice-president for engineering and customer solutions at SPTel, said the company has built up a software-defined platform to help companies like AbyFarm overcome the challenges of deploying applications such as IoT.
“The common struggle that companies like AbyFarm face with building an IoT solution is that it is quite intensive in terms of ICT infrastructure,” said Heng. “You’ve got to find the radio connectivity like Lora, subscribe to a service provider, and connect your sensors to a sensor collector.
“We make it easy by investing in a platform and because we are a service provider with edge hub assets for deploying radio connectivity, all AbyFarm needs to do is to bring their sensors onboard.”
Going forward, Heng said SPTel is looking to support next-generation video analytics capabilities through edge cloud services that can be used to crunch workloads closer to where they reside, reducing latency.
AbyFarm was one of six companies to win contracts from the Singapore Food Agency last year to build urban farms at nine rooftop carparks in public housing estates across Singapore.
The goal is to collectively produce about 1,600 tonnes of vegetables a year in a bid by the city-state – where less than 1% of the land is used for agriculture – to become more self-sufficient in meeting the nutritional needs of its people.
That could well be achievable with technology that makes farming more efficient, scalable, and less labor-intensive than before. “We are willing to train and educate the next generation in agrotechnology because now you don’t need 10 farmers to take care of one farm,” said Xie. “It’s just looking at the dashboard and, with the alerts, doing what is required.”
SOUTH AFRICA: “The Face of Future Farming” Aeroponic & NFT Systems
Impilo Ponics is a South African based enterprise and was formed 3 yrs ago with a mandate to design various vertical growing towers to meet the ever-increasing demand for sustainable fresh nutritional food security produce especially in rural poverty-stricken areas on the African continent
Impilo Ponics is a South African based enterprise and was formed 3 yrs ago with a mandate to design various vertical growing towers to meet the ever-increasing demand for sustainable fresh nutritional food security produce especially in rural poverty-stricken areas on the African continent, consequently, we identified that our designs are also in demand for Urban based populace by means of individual residential units that allow for space-restricted dwellings Ie residential apartments, townhouse dwellings, underutilized rooftop areas to name a few.
The tower systems are made up of modular panels made from recycled plastic with various additional additives for color and UV stabilization, the unique design of the panels have the advantage of “flat Packing” which allow for compact packaging reducing logistical transportation costs both locally and Internationally, the tower designs allow for a very simple DIY assembly in a very short period of time with minimal effort and no tools involved.
We have two discipline options in the way of Aeroponics ( high pressure misting irrigation 30 >>50 Micron mist) and NFT ( a low pressure spraying irrigation 200 > 250 Micron spray), the modular design allows for additional tower segments to be added as tower height extensions as and when the users want to increase growing capacity for higher yields of the cultivars planted in the towers, we promote “multi planting” in the growing pockets of the tower for example:- Chillis x 3 plants, Basil x 3 plants, Spinach x 3 plants, Peppers x 3 plants, etc, this means that in an 84 pocket tower, for instance, you can plant up to approx. 250 plants vertically in a 1.5m2 footprint area, the system is a soilless growing method that reduces the need for fertile soil as a growing medium and allows the flexibility of dead space utilization.
The Aeroponic system only requires a timer-based irrigation time cycle that drastically reduces both energy and water source consumption - the towers only consume on average 2 litres of nutrient water source per day and the pressure pump energy usage as little as 30 watts per day, this lends itself to utilizing a small affordable solar panel system to run the towers, rainwater collection can also be utilized to sustain the water source, the end result being that we have an “off the grid” solution especially for areas with limited resources.
The NFT solution uses more or less the same amount of both energy & water consumption and again can be utilized into an “off the grid” solution.
The main difference between the two systems is that the Aeroponics generates a highly oxygenated nutrient-based mist that adheres to the root zone and during the ‘rest period between cycles” allows up to 90% of absorption of the Nutrient based nutrient solution, this encourages a shorter maturity of both plant growth and yield.
The NFT system has continual spray irrigation of root zone very much on the hydroponic principle but in a vertical environment instead of a horizontal environment, however, the irrigation cycle can be setup through a programmed timer at prescribed time periods before dehydration of the root zone takes place, all this depends on the cultivar for hydration requirements for example:- lettuce requires regular irrigation where chillis/peppers/tomatoes, etc require less
The tower designs also allow for a very simple conversion from NFT to Aeroponics at the discretion of the end-user.
The Impilo panel system also allows for a multitude of tower sizes and designs to client specifications for example:- we can create square towers, hexagonal towers, Cylindrical towers of any size and height.
Our latest designs are introducing Aeroponic Living walls, horizontal “tuber” aeroponic growing chambers (baby potato yields of up to 20Kgs per m2 surface area on a conservative 100 day growing cycle -comfortably 3 growing cycles per annum).
We also design and manufacture modular greenhouses as a turnkey solution for Micro farming to commercial size operations, budget-related affordability for a new generation of smart farming entrepreneurs, and micro-farming opportunities.
RMA Authorizes Emergency Procedures To Help Drought-Impacted Producers
The USDA’s Risk Management Agency is working with crop insurance companies to streamline and accelerate the adjustment of losses and issuance of indemnity payments to crop insurance policyholders in impacted areas, according to a news release
By TOM KARST
July 13, 2021
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is authorizing emergency procedures to help agricultural producers impacted by extreme drought conditions.
The USDA’s Risk Management Agency is working with crop insurance companies to streamline and accelerate the adjustment of losses and issuance of indemnity payments to crop insurance policyholders in impacted areas, according to a news release.
The agency said the new crop insurance flexibilities are part of USDA’s broader response to help producers impacted by drought, in the West, Northern Great Plains, Caribbean and other areas.
“Crop insurance helps producers weather natural disasters like drought,” RMA Acting Administrator Richard Flournoy said in the release. “We recognize the distress experienced by farmers and ranchers because of drought, and these emergency procedures will authorize insurance companies to expedite the claims process, enabling them to plant a new crop or a cover crop.”
Emergency procedures allow insurance companies to accept delayed notices of loss in certain situations, streamline paperwork, and reduce the number of required representative samples when damage is consistent, according to the release.
Producers should contact their crop insurance agent as soon as they notice damage, the agency said.
The insurance company must have an opportunity to inspect the crop before the producer puts their crop acres to another use. If the company cannot make an accurate appraisal, or the producer disagrees with the appraisal at the time the acreage is to be destroyed or no longer cared for, the insurance company and producer can determine representative sample areas to be left intact and maintained for future appraisal purposes, according to the release. Once an insured crop has been appraised and released, or representative strips have been authorized for later appraisal, the producer may cut the crop for silage, destroy it or take any other action on the land including planting a cover crop, the release said.
Additional information on these emergency procedures is available on RMA’s Crop Insurance and Drought Damaged Crop webpage.
USA: VIRGINIA - Maker of Hydroponic Farming Systems Gets $1 Million Grant, Relocates Headquarters To Scott's Addition
The grant will help the company move further into commercialization. The company had been awarded a $225,000 Phase 1 grant in 2019 to conduct scientific trials of its technology
June 24, 2021
A startup company that makes indoor, hydroponic farming systems has opened its new headquarters and production site in the Scott’s Addition area of Richmond.
The opening of the Babylon Micro-Farms Inc. office comes after the company received a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation with the potential for $750,000 in follow-on funding to continue development of BabylonIQ, its technology platform designed to operate decentralized, automated micro-farms.
The grant will help the company move further into commercialization. The company had been awarded a $225,000 Phase 1 grant in 2019 to conduct scientific trials of its technology.
Babylon Micro-Farms also completed a $3 million investment round in the first quarter of this year. Investors include Virginia’s Center for Innovative Technology, Hull Street Capital, Venture South, and the CAV Angels Group.
The capital raised “helped us move here [to Richmond] and build our team,” Alexander Oleson, the company’s CEO who co-founded the business with Graham Smith, said Thursday as Babylon Micro-Farms hosted an open house at the headquarters.
“A lot of it is about switching from an R&D organization to a sales organization,” Oleson said. “We have a backlog of orders to fill.”
Babylon Micro-Farms was founded in Charlottesville in 2017 by Oleson and Smith, who were University of Virginia students. The company announced plans to move its headquarters to Richmond earlier this year.
The company now has more than 30 employees working in a renovated 7,700-square-foot building on Carlton Street. The facility serves as the company’s main office as well as a research and development site for its indoor farming units designed to grow more than 40 different types of leafy greens, herbs and flowers.
From the Scott’s Addition site, the company staff also can remotely monitor the functioning of more than 40 of its indoor farming units that have been installed at customer sites including retirement communities, universities, and corporate cafeterias.
Several of the company’s 8-foot-tall, climate-controlled farming units stand in the main lobby of the headquarters, growing plants such as basil, kale, lettuce, and bok choy.
In a research area of the building, Babylon Micro-Farms is testing growing other produce such as strawberries and peppers in its hydroponic systems.
“Our hope is to be in hundreds of locations by the end of next year, mostly in Virginia, but really casting our footprint nationally,” Oleson said.
Photos: John Reid Blackwell
Karen Sizer, an account manager for Babylon Micro-Farms Inc., spoke with visitors on Thursday about the company’s hydroponic, indoor farming systems. The company, founded in Charlottesville in 2017, hosted an open house at its new headquarters in Scott’s Addition.
Alexander Oleson, co-founder, and CEO of Babylon Micro-Farms stands by one of the company’s 8-foot-tall, climate-controlled hydroponic farming units.
Babylon Micro-Farms Inc., a maker of indoor farming systems, has its headquarters and research facility on Carlton Street in the Scott’s Addition area of Richmond
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Freight Farms And CEO Vanzura Set To Reinvent Container Farming
June 17, 2021
The global pressures exacerbated by COVID-19 and the rippling toll it takes on the international community has made one thing clear: preparedness is everything. The Coronavirus has exposed vulnerabilities in the global health network that no one could have imagined. Food production and distribution must now reset their agendas to prepare for catastrophe.
Freight Farms, a 2011 Agtech company that pioneered hydroponics-based container farming, is committed to preparing the world for the next disaster by reinventing the way we grow food.
“Fill in the blank with the institution, how prepared are you for the emerging trends that are impacting the world,” Freight Farms CEO Rick Vanzura explained. “Sustainability issues, land availability, water availability; those issues obviously preceded COVID-19, but we think there’s going to be a greater sense of urgency around folks expecting us to have an answer and be prepared for these global trends, as opposed to being reactive.”
Vanzura looks to channel his decade of experience as a restaurant executive, growing Wahlburgers from a single restaurant to a $100 million dollar institution, as well as greatly expanding Panera Bread, to redefine food production and distribution as a whole.
Freight Farms uses container-based “vertical farming” to do just that, allowing farmers to produce hundreds of high-quality local crops from a 320 square foot shipping container which automates the farming process for maximum efficiency.
Vanzura plans to expand and distribute these self-contained, sustainable farms to a wide diversity of industry segments. The priority will of course be the global communities that need them the most. “We see the Freight Farm as a perfect fit for countries with food access difficulties, short growing seasons and inherently challenging climates. There’s probably no location where having a hyper-local, highly traceable, always available solution isn’t going to make sense in some way,” he added.
In the name of access to high-quality food, in a sustainable model built to withstand a natural disaster, Freight Farms has now distributed their automated, hydroponic farms to 48 U.S states and across the world to 32 different countries, boasting success and efficiency from the Arctic wilderness, to the desert, and to concrete jungles.
Freight Farms believes that its emphasis on access, preparedness, and sustainability will be more necessary than ever in the wake of COVID-19, as well as global trends of food insecurity and environmental uncertainty. Vanzura explained that the company has already reacted to shifting demands by supporting small-scale farmers as they set up drive-through produce stations to reach customers directly.
Freight Farms CEO Rick Vanzura
“Demand during this time for that hyper-local, fresh product has certainly ramped up,” Vanzura added. “Hopefully, once people get a taste of it, they will understand the difference, and post Covid, our containers will become an industry staple.”
Vanzura sees his role as not only expanding to agriculturally vulnerable countries abroad but also increasing access to high-quality food across institutions in the United States. He wants to specifically target universities and has partnered with foodservice provider Sodexo to ensure local food is available to as many people as possible.
Vanzura says he was forced by his children to move beyond the world of crafting a restaurant chain’s vision and use his knowledge to make the world a better place. Freight Farms, with Vanzura’s leadership, has the ability to change the way we think of farming and change the world.
Freight Farms hopes to combat international uncertainty, face the threats of climate change, and provide people with fresh produce regardless of climatic constraints and difficulties. “Healthy food is a right, not a luxury,” and Freight Farms is helping make this mission statement a reality.
Lead photo: A Freight Farms container has unprecedented environmental control and exceptional ease-of-use to unlock your growing potential.
To learn more about Freight Farms and how they are reinventing container farming, visit their website.
Total Food Service is a monthly B2B foodservice publication and website covering foodservice and hospitality news, industry trends, and exclusive interviews.
These High-Tech Strawberries Cost $6 Apiece. Here’s What They Taste And Smell Like
The Omakase Berry, a Japanese variety grown by the New Jersey-based company called Oishii, bills itself as an entirely different strawberry experience
By Hannah Selinger
June 11, 2021
Some months ago, a curious new strawberry began appearing in my social media feeds. The berry, which comes in packages of three, six, or eight, was a uniform pale red. Each berry in each plastic carton looked almost exactly the same — heart-shaped, symmetrical, and indented on the surface where, in a store-bought strawberry, yellow seeds would appear. One more notable thing: They cost between $5 and $6.25 apiece.
The Omakase Berry, a Japanese variety grown by the New Jersey-based company called Oishii, bills itself as an entirely different strawberry experience. The website even offers advice when it comes to eating them: Allow berries to sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes; let the berries’ aromatics “fill the room”; inhale the “bouquet”; eat.
Oishii grows its berries indoors vertically, leveraging technology that its co-founder and CEO, Hiroki Koga, 34, explored in Japan. “I got my first start in the vertical farming industry as a consultant in Japan, where it took off before anywhere else in the world,” he said. “But the whole industry failed pretty quickly, you know, in the early 2010s in Japan, because it was too expensive to grow leafy greens in a very tech-savvy, costly environment.” The technology, he said, was there; someone just needed to find the right way to use it.
The first run of berries (the Omakase cultivar) has been geared toward the luxury market and is available only in the New York City area. But the company is in the process, Koga said, of expanding its market share. Some of the varieties the company is experimenting with can be grown in a much more cost-efficient way, he said, “which means that we should be able to place these into the market at a significantly affordable, reasonable price, compared to what it is today.”
Koga came to the United States in 2015, first to California, where, he said, the quality of produce was unexpectedly good, though not as good as in Japan. The strawberries he selected for the company’s first vertical farms in New Jersey are known as “short-day cultivars.” In Japan, “They’re grown during the winter in a greenhouse environment in a little more wet environment,” Koga said.
Long-day cultivars — American summer berries — are, he said, “optimized for mass production,” at the expense of flavor. Koga says Oishii’s low yields are guided by the same principles as fine wine production: An intentionally depleted crop, achieved by such tactics as crop-thinning, forces the plant to push more of its nutrients and flavor into fewer berries, yielding a more concentrated flavor. The growing environment, according to Koga, is also optimized so that berries yield the maximum amount of nutrients and sweetness.
“We constantly were testing and tweaking to find the perfect environment for the unique Omakase berry,” Koga said. That meant, he said, finding the optimal temperature and breeze; controlling plant management, water frequency, and pruning; and leveraging artificial intelligence to help predict yields.
I wanted to know how the Omakase Berry — billed by Koga as a berry with no American equal — would stand up to other domestic fruit. I arranged my own taste comparison, using three different strawberries: Oishii’s Omakase Berry, available only in the New York City area; widely available Driscoll’s strawberries, produced by a network of more than 900 independent growers around the world, in such places as North America, Europe, China and Australia; and first-of-the-season strawberries from Balsam Farms, in Amagansett, N.Y., down the road from where I live. (Full disclosure: My yearly CSA box comes from Balsam.)
Driscoll's organic strawberries. (Jennifer Beeson Gregory/The Washington Post)
The appearance
Perhaps most striking about the Omakase Berry is its utter uniformity. Each orangy berry — I purchased a package of eight for $50 — looks exactly the same. Glance quickly and you might mistake the berries for marzipan candies, their exterior is so flawless.
The Driscoll’s berries ($3.99 for the company’s standard 16-ounce plastic clamshell) were far deeper in pigment — the company aims for “deep red,” said Scott Komar, 58, the company’s senior vice president for global research and development — and were larger, overall, than the Omakase, though there was variability in size. They were covered in tiny yellow seeds. In selecting berry plants, Komar said, Driscoll’s considers “the color of the strawberry, the shape, the size, and the mouth texture.”
My local strawberries (a quart for $9) were smaller, deeply pigmented and visually much less consistent. The traditional heart shape that is associated with the fruit became more triangular here on Long Island, where conditions are unpredictable. Balsam Farms, said Ian Calder-Piedmonte, 41, the farm’s co-owner, uses a technique called plasticulture. A barrier between plants and the ground is formed using plastic, aiding farmers with weed control, assisting with water management and keeping berries cleaner.
Plasticulture, Calder-Piedmonte said, combined with pruning runners, keeps the plants compact and the berry placement concentrated. Without the plastic, he said, berries can “try to set down roots between rows, and actually will take away from the growth of the mother plants.” Still, holding in my hand the tiny first berries of the Long Island season, it was hard not to consider how much work had gone into producing just a pint of fruit.
Strawberries for sale at the Kuhn Orchards booth at the Fairlington Farmers Market in Arlington, Va. (Jennifer Beeson Gregory/The Washington Post)
The aroma
Oishii isn’t lying when it says the aroma of its berries will fill the room. When I unearthed my plastic container from its refrigerator pack, I could already smell them. Opening the box, I was assaulted with the most strawberry-smelling fruit I’d ever encountered. Aroma, Koga said, is one of the classic characteristics of the Omakase Berry.
In this category, there was no competition. My Driscoll’s berries did not have much of a scent, but aroma may not be at the top of the list in breeding priority. “We conduct quantitative measurements on the sugars, acids, and aromatics of our berries,” said Komar of Driscoll’s berries. “Then that information helps us pick the berry varieties we will commercialize for our brand.” Driscoll’s places a high premium on flavor and color, and the variety I tried may not have been bred, specifically, for aroma.
My Long Island berries smelled very much like strawberries, although their scent was not nearly as potent as the Omakases. “I think there’s probably more variation on local strawberries, as there are with probably everything that’s locally produced,” Calder-Piedmonte said. Other berries that come from “incredibly controlled” environments “where it’s sunny every day” are more likely to be consistent in size, shape, flavor, and even aroma. On Long Island, he said, “I think there are a lot more variables.”
The taste
Oishii’s Omakase Berries cost $50 for a package of eight. (Oishii)
Do you prefer a tart berry that’s firm to the tooth? Are you enamored by sweetness? What type of berry the average consumer perceives as “best” depends on such personal preference. The Omakase Berry was, without question, the sweetest that I sampled. (However, Driscoll’s grows a trademarked, premium fresh berry segment called the Sweetest Batch for strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries, which Komar said are “unique selections” from the company’s breeding program; I did not try these.)
The Driscoll’s berries were the firmest of the three, with a consistent mouthfeel and flavor. It seemed to me that the objective in their breeding was a distinct balance between sweet and tart — and that balance certainly came through on each bite. In some ways, the acid, a quality in food and drink that compels you to keep consuming, makes sense: You’re unlikely to eat only a single strawberry, but Driscoll’s berries come in large, satisfying packages. It’s okay to keep eating.
As for my local berries, there was something compelling about the unpredictability. They were not the sweetest berries I’d ever tasted, but they varied between sweet and tart. Pop a strawberry in your mouth and come alive with the surprise of how sweet it is. Get a slightly underripe berry and pucker in delight. That contrast might make you wish that berries at the farm stand were sold by more than just the quart.
And, as Ian Calder-Piedmonte pointed out, the distinct advantage of a local strawberry is that you’re eating it the day it’s picked. “They really are harvested that day or the day before,” he said. Many berries are picked and then held in refrigerators (or refrigerated trucks) for days before they reach the consumer, and flavor can diminish each day. A fresh-picked berry tastes far different from a berry that has been off the plant for a few days or, as happens in some cases, a week.
Then came the Omakase Berry. The berry, Koga said, was “specifically selected out of 250 cultivars that exist in Japan,” optimizing for “very strong aroma and high sweetness level.” “Because most of the conventional strawberries here in the U.S. have a very high acidity and very low sweetness level, we just wanted to differentiate our product,” he added. This berry, with its heightened sweetness, is the type of berry that sits heavy on the tongue. Eat one, consider it, let the sugar coat the palate. That’s more than enough. The point isn’t to keep eating. The point, in fact, is to stop. So I did.
Selinger is a writer based in East Hampton, N.Y.
Lead photo: The Omakase Berry, a Japanese varietal grown indoors by Oishii in New Jersey. (Oishii)
Artemis Releases 2020 State of Indoor Farming Report
The purpose of this report is to look at where the indoor agriculture industry is today as well as to give growers an industry voice around the latest trends, biggest challenges, and the immense opportunities in this rapidly expanding industry.
We are excited to release our third State of Indoor Farming report. Since their inception in 2016, the State of Indoor Farming reports have been downloaded by millions of people and used as a trusted resource on the industry.
The purpose of this report is to look at where the indoor agriculture industry is today as well as to give growers an industry voice around the latest trends, biggest challenges, and the immense opportunities in this rapidly expanding industry.
The report includes a high-level overview of the industry, as well as a deep dive on key topics such as expenses, sales channels, growth, cannabis, and projections for the future of the industry.
To learn more, you can access the report here.
You can also access our 2016 and 2017 State of Indoor Farming reports.
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Sensei Ag CEO Sonia Lo Joins Indoor Ag-Con October '21 Keynote Line-Up
Themed “Growing Your Business,” Indoor Ag-Con will give attendees the opportunity to explore new resources on the expo floor and hear from Lo, other CEOs, thought leaders and industry experts from today’s cutting-edge farms and innovative companies
‘IMPROVING HUMAN WELLNESS ONE FARM AT A TIME’
SENSEI AG CEO SONIA LO TO LEAD KEYNOTE PRESENTATION AT
IN-PERSON OCTOBER 2021 INDOOR AG-CON
Lo To Discuss Sensei Ag’s Form Factor Agnostic & Scalable Approach to Indoor Agriculture on Monday, October 4, 2021
JUNE 3, 2021 – Sensei Ag CEO Sonia Lo will lead the Indoor Ag-Con keynote presentation, “Improving Human Wellness One Farm At A Time,” on Monday, October 4, 2021 from 11:30 am – 12:20 pm. A headliner event at the October 4-5, 2021 edition of the premier trade show and conference for the indoor | vertical farming industry at the Hilton Orlando, Lo’s discussion will focus on Sensei Ag’s form factor agnostic approach to building and expanding indoor farms.
Themed “Growing Your Business,” Indoor Ag-Con will give attendees the opportunity to explore new resources on the expo floor and hear from Lo, other CEOs, thought leaders and industry experts from today’s cutting-edge farms and innovative companies.
During her presentation, Lo will share more about Sensei Ag’s mission to improve human health and wellness by transforming indoor agriculture. The company’s uniquely vertically integrated value chain -- from seed conception to store shelves -- allows it to consistently deliver nutritious produce to consumers and actionable data to farmers. She will discuss the current challenges facing the indoor farming industry and how being a form factor agnostic company is a novel and necessary approach to overcoming such obstacles.
Tapped to head Sensei Ag in 2020, Sonia brings more than 32 years of combined agriculture, technology, and business experience to her leadership role. Lo began her career in technology, building her first tech venture as CEO of eZokaGroup, a UK-based internet startup that she sold in 2002. Following eZoka, Lo founded and served as Managing Director of Chalsys LLP, an advisory and direct investment firm which has invested over $120 million in 15 global growth-stage companies. From Chalsys, Lo became the Director of Localization and Global Content for Google, Inc.
Most recently, Ms. Lo was CEO of Crop One Holdings, Inc., a vertical farming company that owns a vertical farm in Massachusetts. Crop One is also part of a joint venture with Emirates Flight Catering in Dubai which is building one of the world’s largest vertical farms.
You can learn more about Sonia Lo and her Indoor Ag-Con keynote session here.
“We are very excited to have Sonia Lo join our keynote line-up. Her incredible background and proven leadership experience, coupled with the indoor farming innovations she and her Sensei Ag team are working on, promise to inspire our attendees, “ says Brian Sullivan, co-owner, Indoor Ag-Con LLC along with other event industry veterans Nancy Hallberg and Kris Sieradzki.
ROBUST 2021 CONFERENCE SCHEDULE NOW IN DEVELOPMENT
In addition to Sonia Lo’s keynote, look for additional announcements coming soon on other CEO keynote presentations planned for the October event. The 2021 conference will also include a full roster of panel discussions, fireside chats and presentations offering a deep dive into three core tracks – Business & Marketing, Science & Technology and Alternative Crops.
The extensive educational conference will be joined by other new initiatives and show highlights, including:
NEW LOCATION: HILTON ORLANDO – DISCOUNTED HOTEL RATES, TOO
Indoor Ag-Con’s Hilton Orlando venue makes it the perfect opportunity for a business vacation. Centrally located to all major theme parks and attractions, it is just minutes from the eclectic dining scene and entertainment of International Drive. What’s more, the Hilton Orlando resort sits on more than 26 acres of lush landscaping and tropical inspirations making it a true destination of its own. Indoor Ag-Con has arranged for discounted hotel rates for attendees and exhibitors starting as low as $129/night. Complete details are available on the show website.
NEW ASSOCIATION ALLIANCES
Indoor Ag-Con is also forging new alliances with other events, industry associations/groups that will play an integral role in its marketing outreach and conference programming. Look for partnership announcements coming soon.
EXPANDED EXHIBIT FLOOR & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
The Indoor Ag-Con team is working to bring even more resources for farmers/growers to explore across all sectors – everything from IT, energy, AI, and lighting solutions to substrates, vertical farming solutions, business services, and much more. Attendees and exhibitors alike will also have even more networking opportunities with daily luncheon sessions and receptions on the show floor.
QUICK FACTS:
WHEN: Monday, October 4 – Tuesday, October 5 , 2021
WHERE: Hilton Orlando, 6001 Destination Pkwy, Orlando, FL 32819
INFO: For information on exhibiting or attending visit www.indoor.ag or email hello@indoor.ag
ABOUT INDOOR AG-CON LLC
Founded in 2013, Indoor Ag-Con has emerged as the premier trade event for vertical farming | indoor agriculture, the practice of growing crops in indoor systems, using hydroponic, aquaponic and aeroponic techniques. The next edition is slated for October 4-5, 2021 at the Hilton Orlando. Its events are crop-agnostic and touch all sectors of the business, covering produce, legal cannabis |hemp, alternate protein, and non-food crops. In December 2018, three event industry professionals – Nancy Hallberg, Kris Sieradzki, and Brian Sullivan – acquired Indoor Ag-Con LLC, setting the stage for further expansion of the events globally. www. indoor.ag
ABOUT SENSEI AG
Sensei Ag is a market-changing AgTech company on a mission to solve global gaps and inconsistencies in nutrition, food safety, and food security through the transformative power of data. Guided by the incomparable capabilities and insights of our founders, technology entrepreneur and Oracle Co-Founder Larry Ellison and esteemed physician and scientist Dr. David Agus, we design, develop and deploy cutting-edge agricultural technologies to build a better, more stable food supply that is capable of feeding our entire world nutritionally-relevant, delicious, affordable meals. We are the present and the future of farming, fostering agricultural innovations that will improve and support human health and wellness for decades to come. Sensei Ag: driven by data; grounded in science; focused on wellbeing. Learn more about our innovations in agriculture by visiting our website at sensei.ag and connecting with us on LinkedIn.
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Indoor Ag-Con, 950 Scales Road, Building #200,
Suwanee, GA 30024, United States
GERMANY: New 'Supermarket of The Future' Has A Greenhouse On Top
It is the first supermarket with a rooftop greenhouse in Europe and it combines retail with a basil farm and fish farm
What will the shopping centre of the future look like? How do you build sustainably? According to REWE, it is one with a greenhouse on top. Last Friday, the German retail giant opened their first Green Farming pilot store in Wiesbaden-Erbenheim. It is the first supermarket with a rooftop greenhouse in Europe and it combines retail with a basil farm and fish farm. "Since 2009, we have already built over 200 Green Buildings in Germany. The new store with integrated rooftop farm is the logical next step for us," says Peter Maly, Divisional Director REWE Group and responsible for REWE stores in Germany.
Supermarket and production facility
"The Green Farming store is not just a supermarket, but also a production facility in the middle of the city. On the rooftop farm, which is operated by our partner ECF Farmsystems, 800,000 basil plants grow each year using aquaponics, which receive excrement from the fish that we breed on site as fertilizer. No pesticides are used in the process," shows Jürgen Scheider, Chairman of the Management Board REWE Region Mitte. Rewe is Germany's second-largest supermarket chain.
"Our vision is to provide people with sustainably produced food. That's why I'm pleased to be able to help realize the dream of a self-producing supermarket here in Wiesbaden," adds Nicolas Leschke, founder and managing director of ECF Farmsystems. The company created a technique to couple aquaculture fish production with the hydroponic production of leafy greens. "Perch and basil are part of two resource saving cycles. The fish fertilize the basil plants with their excreta. These in turn clean the water from the fish tanks, which can then flow back to the perches. The use of this cycle system enables food production with 90 percent less water consumption compared to conventional agriculture, as the water is used twice."
Basil supplied locally
The basil is already available at the opening and will also be delivered to 480 REWE stores in Hesse and parts of Rhineland-Palatinate. Around 14,000 pots of basil are packaged plastic-free on site every week and according to the REWE team, the sustainable packaging saves 12 tonnes of plastic per year.
At the same time, about 20,000 cichlids are bred in basins on about 230 square metres under sustainable conditions and processed on site. This produces about one tonne of fish meat per month. The fish is expected to be on sale by the end of 2021.
ECF Farmsystems uses LED lamps for their herb cultivation, supplied by Fluence. They've gained experience with these lamps in their urban farm ECF Farm Berlin, which they constructed earlier and currently operate and of which the products are also sold to Rewe. Their other projects include planning and construction of the rooftop farm ecco JÄGER in Bad Ragaz in Switzerland and the rooftop farm on the Ferme Abattoir in Belgium.
Construction and operating
"With Green Farming in Erbenheim, we are ushering in a new generation of green stores at REWE," says Peter Maly with REWE, adding that holistic sustainability not only includes product ranges but also construction and operation.
Wood is the core element of the supermarket: around 1,100 cubic metres of the renewable raw material were used here. "The indigenous coniferous wood stores more than 700 tonnes of CO2. In 30 years, the wood will have grown again and the CO2 balance will be balanced." Columns made of stacked wood form the supporting structure for the glass roof farm and form a vaulted structure that extends into the store. Inside, customers look out onto a glass atrium, the greenhouse on the roof. "A natural marketplace ambience with lots of daylight was created," Peter reveals.
A lot of daylight can be used through the glazed east and west facades and the atrium. In addition, intelligent cooling and heating technology, 100 per cent green electricity and the use of rainwater for the roof farm, sanitary facilities and cleaning of the store ensure that resources are conserved.
Also the assortment focuses entirely on freshness with a large fruit and vegetable section including a salad bar, many regional and organic products as well as a glass butchery with a show kitchen and meat from animal welfare farms. In front of the store, local suppliers can offer their products in specially produced market stalls.
"The new REWE store in Erbenheim is a milestone in the development of modern supermarkets. I am very pleased and also a little proud that this special project has been realized in our region," says Jürgen Scheider, Chairman of the Management Board of REWE Region Mitte. "We are particularly proud of the wide range of products from over 100 regional and local suppliers."
Publication date: Fri 4 Jun 2021
Author: Arlette Sijmonsma
© VerticalFarmDaily.com
Florida Native Brick Street Farms Takes On Global Agriculture With Multi-Million Dollar Investment
The Ag Tech Innovator Scales its Local Approach to More Sustainably Feed Urban Communities
The Ag Tech Innovator Scales its Local Approach to More Sustainably Feed Urban Communities
St Petersburg, FL (May 19th, 2020)- Brick Street Farms announces their new investors, Lykes Bros., a milestone championed by Florida Department of Agriculture Commissioner Nicole “Nikki” Fried, Mayor Rick Kriseman, St. Petersburg, FL, and Mayor Jane Castor, Tampa, FL. With Lykes Bros financial commitment to Brick Street Farms, the AgTech leader will scale its mission to lead the way in disrupting agriculture and reinventing possibilities to sustainably feed more people from urban locations, offer Brick Street Farm’s expertise so we can bring farm to fork in cities and contribute to healthier lives.
COVID-19 and climate change have accelerated existing strains in global food accessibility and supply chains, highlighting the need to rethink the world’s agriculture systems, particularly in dense city areas. In response to this crisis, Crunchbase News has cited that agriculture technology investments have grown 250% in the past 5 years alone. Brick Street Farms has been at the forefront of this industry because of their unique experience in both design and manufacturing of their THRIVE Containers as well as the operation of those farms for financial sustainability.
The AgTech’s ground-breaking approach is to bring to life cultivation centers, also known as Brick Street Farms hubs, which will serve as an all-inclusive onsite farming and retail shopping experience in urban cores. Brick Street Farms is reinventing urban farming with our self-contained, environmentally sustainable THRIVE Containers placed in Hubs. These hubs will grow between 16-20 acres of farmland on 1/3 acre lots. This Climate-Controlled Agriculture (CEA) maximizes output and minimizes water resources.
Brick Street Farms Founder and CEO, Shannon O’Malley observed “We could not be more honored to have Lykes Bros. as our newest investor. Brick Street Farms hubs will be the first of its kind and we can’t wait to share this innovation with the world. Our farming expertise combined with Lykes 121 years of experience in agriculture brings unparalleled leadership to feed more people ‘farm to fork’.”
“Lykes Bros. is excited to be advancing and investing in the future of agriculture. We see Brick Street Farms’ leadership and innovation in the controlled environment sector as the perfect fit for our company. They share our commitment to pioneering the future, and their hub innovation is a bold blueprint for producing healthy food locally and sustainably,” says Mallory Dimmitt, VP of Strategic Partnerships, Lykes Bros.
For more information about Brick Street Farms visit www.brickstreetfarms.com.
About Brick Street Farms
Brick Street Farms produce is grown and sold out of its St. Petersburg, Florida headquarters with a mission to ignite a sustainable farm revolution by dramatically reshaping the global population’s ability to access to clean, healthy food. Built for farming in all environments, Brick Street Farms provides healthy, fresh greens, year-round.
About Lykes Bros.:
Founded by Dr. Howell Tyson Lykes and his seven sons in 1900, Lykes Bros. Inc. is a leading Florida-based agribusiness with cattle, citrus, farming, forestry, hunting, and land and water resources operations as well as major landholdings in Florida and Texas. www.lykes.com.
Square Roots Expands Premium Herbs Range With Fresh And Aromatic Cilantro, Dill, And Parsley Grown In Climate Controlled Local Farms Across The Country
Indoor farming company takes the next step in bringing local, real food to cities using modular farm technology that empowers both farmers and consumers
Indoor farming company takes the next step in bringing local, real food to cities using modular farm technology that empowers both farmers and consumers
May 17, 2021 (New York, NY) — Square Roots, the technology leader in urban indoor farming, is expanding its herb range by introducing three premium fresh offerings - Cilantro, Dill, and Parsley - to complement its widely successful signature Basil. Co-founded by Kimbal Musk, Square Roots’ herbs are grown across the company’s network of cloud-connected and climate-controlled indoor farms in New York and Michigan and are now available in more than 200 retail stores - including Whole Foods Market, Fresh Thyme Market, SpartanNash, and FreshDirect.
“COVID-19 has accelerated the adoption of locally grown indoor produce”, said Raji Margolin, EVP of Sales and Marketing at Square Roots. “The habits of at-home cooking and using fresh, local produce are here to stay. Now more than ever, people care about the food they eat, and where it's grown - and our goal is to make sure that fresh and local food is available to consumers year-round. These herbs are just the beginning of our product offerings and we can’t wait to expand into additional categories.”
Square Roots has a strategic partnership with Gordon Food Service (GFS), one of the country’s leading food service providers, to deploy farms across the country together and provide fresh, high-quality, local food to consumers across cities, year-round. Square Roots broke ground on its latest indoor farm in Grand Rapids, Michigan in December 2020 and began planting seeds just three months later, in March 2021. This rapid deployment capability is enabled by the company’s modular farm-tech platform.
“We’re using technology a little differently at Square Roots farms”, said Tobias https://www.igrow.news/igrownews/indoor-ag-science-cafe-may-18th, Co-Founder, and CEO at Square Roots. “Food, farmers, and consumers are all connected at the center of our system. We surround our farmers with data, tools, and insights to help them grow more, better-tasting food with fewer resources. At the same time, with features like our unique Transparency Timeline, we help our consumers understand exactly where their food comes from and who grew it.”
The expanded herb range is available in both the New York City area and the Great Lakes Region.
About Square Roots
Square Roots is the technology leader in urban indoor farming. Its mission is to bring local, fresh, real food to people in cities around the world - setting new standards for transparency and responsibility while empowering the next generation of leaders in agriculture. Founded by serial entrepreneurs, Kimbal Musk and Tobias Peggs, its range of fresh produce is available in more than 200 retail locations around the country including Whole Foods Market, Fresh Thyme Market, SpartanNash, and FreshDirect. Square Roots’ strategic partnership with Gordon Food Service reinforces a larger shared ambition to build commercial scale, climate-controlled indoor farms together across the continent - enabling local food at a global scale, year-round.
For more information, please visit www.squarerootsgrow.com.
Purdue Student Farm Offers Vegetable Season Pass
"The Boilermaker Vegetable Season Pass directly supports the student farm's foundation: to teach students about small-scale agriculture, from growing it to selling it,” said Grace Moore, president of the Purdue Student Farm Club
May 13, 2021
Boilermaker Season Pass provides community participants with fresh vegetables. (iStock photo)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Purdue University Student Farm will provide fresh locally grown vegetables to community members for a second year.
The Boilermaker Vegetable Season Pass will provide Purdue and West Lafayette subscribers with Purdue student-grown vegetables each week from July to November. The 22-week program will include whatever is freshly grown and picked that week.
The Purdue Student Farm started the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program in 2020 to support the local community and in response to the closure of the student dining halls, its primary customers. According to Steve Hallett, professor of horticulture and co-director of the student farm, the farm’s students have always wanted to learn about direct sales in local agriculture by selling to the local community.
The Boilermaker Vegetable Season Pass provides an educational experience for students and fresh vegetables to the community. The farm’s goal for the 2021 season is to enlist 50 subscribers for the 22-week program.
"The Boilermaker Vegetable Season Pass directly supports the student farm's foundation: to teach students about small-scale agriculture, from growing it to selling it,” said Grace Moore, president of the Purdue Student Farm Club. “Not only does this program sell fresh, local vegetables to the community, but it also expands the possibilities for students like myself in the Purdue Student Farm Organization to get hands-on experience with local food systems. The support we've seen from the community already is so encouraging to us, and we're very excited to roll out this program."
Petrus Langenhoven is a horticulture and hydroponics crop specialist in the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture and the farm’s co-director.
"Student education is the heartbeat of the farm, and the pandemic has brought a lot of things into perspective for all of us,” he said. “We realized once again how important it is to have locally grown fresh produce when supply chains are broken and that teaching the next generation of growers and horticulturalists is one vital aspect of sustainability. Students, staff, and faculty are working hard to increase our community's resilience. The Purdue Student Farm is grateful to be an integral part of this.”
Hallett said, “We hope to establish new relationships with our local community as a trusted supplier of healthy, safe, and nutritious food. It’s exciting to be reconnecting after this last year; meeting people as they pick up their fresh food and knowing that our programs are reaching the local area. I am very proud of our students and their farm. It’s a very exciting time.”
Julie Huettman, Purdue Extension coordinator, was one of the first subscribers for the 2020 CSA program.
“The Boilermaker Vegetable Season Pass was a great experience,” she said. “Easy to order online, convenient pickup and produce already selected and put in a bag. The variety of produce helped motivate me to try out new recipes. I’m looking forward to subscribing again this year.”
The student team has already received over half of the subscribers for the 2021 season! People can sign up before the end of May for a 20% discount. More information is available online.
Writer: Nyssa Lilovich, 765-494-7077, nclilovi@purdue.edu
Sources: Steve Hallett, halletts@purdue.edu
Chris Adair, ctadair@purdue.edu
Petrus Langenhoven, plangenh@purdue.edu
Agricultural Communications: 765-494-8415;
Maureen Manier, Department Head, mmanier@purdue.edu
Growing Lettuce Under Transparent Solar Cells
A team of researchers at North Carolina State University has shown that using semi-transparent organic solar cells (OSCs) can help greenhouse growers generate electricity and reduce energy use while still cultivating viable crops of lettuce
A team of researchers at North Carolina State University has shown that using semi-transparent organic solar cells (OSCs) can help greenhouse growers generate electricity and reduce energy use while still cultivating viable crops of lettuce.
The research found that red lettuce can be grown in greenhouses with OSCs that filter out the wavelengths of light used to generate solar power. The researchers grew crops of red leaf lettuce in greenhouse chambers from seed to full maturity under constant conditions, apart from the lighting regime.
A control group of lettuces was exposed to the full spectrum of white light, while the rest were dived into three experimental groups. Each of those groups was exposed to light through different types of filters that absorbed wavelengths of light equivalent to what different types of semi-transparent solar cells would absorb.
To determine the effect of removing various wavelengths of light, the researchers assessed a host of plant characteristics, such as leaf number, leaf size, and lettuces weight, as well as how much CO2 the plants absorbed and the levels of various antioxidants. “Not only did we find no meaningful difference between the control group and the experimental groups, but we also didn’t find any significant difference between the different filters,” said study co-author Brendan O’Connor.
“We were a little surprised – there was no real reduction in plant growth or health,” added Heike Sederoff, co-author of the study and professor of plant biology. “It means the idea of integrating transparent solar cells into greenhouses can be done.”
Lead photo caption: The study suggests transparent solar panels will not affect lettuce crop growth
VIDEO: Singapore’s Urban Farmers Seek High-Tech Solutions To Turn Waste Into Resources
With the challenges of climate change and a growing population, research and development have become critical in helping overcome threats to sustainability with the help of technology
MAY 11, 2021
KEY POINTS
Singapore’s first urban insect farm, Insectta, is a biotech start-up extracting valuable biomaterials from the black soldier fly.
With the challenges of climate change and a growing population, research and development have Nessa Anwar become critical in helping overcome threats to sustainability with the help of technology.
Farmers in typically traditional environments are also tapping into technology to bring added value to their fields of specialty, such as Singapore fish farm Eco-Ark.
Farmers are popping up in major cities - here’s why
SINGAPORE — Thousands of wriggling larvae won’t deter this self-declared “urban farmer.”
Chua Kai-Ning is one of the founders of Singapore’s first urban insect farm, Insectta — a high-tech farm that rears the black soldier fly to help turn food waste into biomaterials for industrial use.
“The black soldier fly is a way to contribute to what we call the circular economy, where we produce things without anything going to waste,” said the 26-year-old, who has a background in English linguistics.
Some in Singapore are turning to urban farming in this land-scarce city, as they look for high-tech ways to turn waste into useful resources.
Chua is one of them.
We are not only reimagining what we farm, but what we get out of the farming process.
Chua Kai-Ning
CO-FOUNDER, INSECTTA
“Their superpower is their ability to consume food waste,” she said of the black soldier fly, regularly scooping up a handful of writhing insects with her bare hands throughout the farm visit.
“A kilo of larvae can go through four kilograms of waste in just 24 hours,” she said, explaining that pre-consumer food waste — primarily soybean leftovers and spent grain from the beer-brewing industry — is fed to the larvae.
But the work doesn’t stop there.
Insectta’s co-founder and chief technology officer Phua Jun Wei demonstrating water-soluble melanin derived from their black soldier fly larvae.
From the insect farm, the trays of larvae are transported to a laboratory on the other side of the island state. There, biomaterials are extracted from the larvae and used to produce valuable substances for electronics, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics, such as chitosan and melanin.
The future of urban agriculture, Chua maintained, is in deep technology. Deep tech companies are often start-ups founded on scientific and engineering breakthroughs, aimed at harnessing technology to address environmental or societal challenges.
“We are not only reimagining what we farm but what we get out of the farming process.”
Pioneers such as Insectta are not the only ones coming up with high-tech ways of farming to cater to a world with evolving needs. Farmers in typically traditional environments are also tapping into technology to bring added value to their fields of specialty.
Eco-Ark is one such example. The closed-containment floating fish farm located in the eastern side of Singapore uses seawater that has been optimally treated to farm fish.
The farm — an area slightly smaller than two basketball courts — also uses green energy tapped from its solar roof to power about 20% of its farming activities, the company said.
The Eco-Ark is a closed-containment floating fish farm located off a Singapore coast, yielding more than 160 tonnes of fish a year.
“We produce our own oxygen, we produce our own ozone,” said Leow Ban Tat, CEO of Aquaculture Centre of Excellence, which built Eco-Ark.
Open-net fish farms are vulnerable to environmental threats such as plankton blooms, oil spills and warmer waters due to climate change. Unlike these traditional farms, fish on the Eco-Ark are contained in seawater that is filtered and treated to kill pathogens.
“As fish grow, they produce a lot of ammonia and nitrates,” he explained, adding that water discharged back to the sea is treated and free of waste.
In addition to a water filtration system that improves the mortality of fish reared, the high-tech floating farm is the first in the country to have post-harvest facilities, said Leow.
After cleaning and preparing ready-made fish for consumption, the fish bones and fish heads left behind are turned into pellets that can be used as plant fertilizer, ensuring no unnecessary waste.
Singapore sets its sights on high-tech farming
Traditionally, urban farms are not known to be energy efficient. Critics say that growing food with the help of high-tech systems to boost artificial farming environments, such as in climate control, raises energy costs.
With the challenges of climate change and a growing population, research and development have become critical to overcoming threats to sustainability with the help of technology.
In its latest budget, Singapore set aside 60 million Singapore dollars (about $45.2 million) to encourage farmers to utilize technology. The Agri-Food Cluster Transformation Fund was established in February to help farmers better apply technology to local food production.
The goal of sustainability has drawn people like aquaculturist Nick Goh to fish farms like Eco-Ark.
“This is actually what I wanted to do. It is not sustainable if we keep on doing fish-netting outside, fishing, fish trawling,” he told CNBC. “So if we have aquaculture in the field, we can actually first sustain the ocean, and second, sustain ourselves in terms of food security-wise.”
Black soldier fly larvae eating through a tray of pre-consumer food waste.
Insectta’s Chua admits it’s not been easy.
“Pioneering anything, especially in a deep tech industry, is definitely scary,” Chua said. “But it’s also empowering because you know that you’re the first mover for change.”
“If we don’t go out there and look for new solutions to current problems such as the food waste crisis, dwindling natural resources, we’re never going to make any headway.”
Transparent Solar Cells Boost Lettuce Farming While Decreasing Energy Use
Researchers, who have worked with the organic photovoltaic cell company NextGen Nano, believe OSCs provide a way for greenhouse cultivation without the large energy demands traditionally associated with it
New research found transparent solar cells can help greenhouse growers generate electricity and reduce energy use while cultivating crops
29 April 2021
Greenhouse farming of lettuce can be sustainable and energy-efficient under transparent solar cells.
That’s according to a new study by a team of researchers at North Carolina State University, which suggests semi-transparent organic solar cells (OSCs) can help greenhouse growers generate electricity, reduce energy use and cultivate lettuce.
Researchers, who have worked with the organic photovoltaic cell company NextGen Nano, believe OSCs provide a way for greenhouse cultivation without the large energy demands traditionally associated with it.
Published in Cell Reports Physical Science, the research found that red lettuce can be grown in greenhouses with OSCs that filter out the wavelengths of light used to generate solar power.
This means it is feasible to use transparent solar panels in greenhouses to cover their high electricity needs while not shrinking the crop yield.
Doctor Carr Ho, Research Scientist at NextGen Nano, said: “Greenhouses are used to grow plants because they drastically increase yield in non-native climates while lowering water consumption and pesticide use compared to conventional farming.
“But greenhouse glazing has poor thermal insulation, so heating and ventilation systems need to be installed to help maintain optimal conditions. Along with supplemental lighting, this lights to large, unsustainable energy consumptions.”
Lead Image: North Carolina State University
This Weeks Episode - Season 3 Episode 32
Join Harry Duran, host of Vertical Farming Podcast, as he welcomes to the show co-founders of Vertical Harvest, Nona Yehia, and Caroline Croft Estay
Join Harry Duran, host of Vertical Farming Podcast, as he welcomes to the show co-founders of Vertical Harvest, Nona Yehia, and Caroline Croft Estay. An architect and entrepreneur, Nona conceptualized and built Vertical Harvest, the first vertical hydroponic greenhouse in the world. Combining her expertise in behavioral health and experience in training and case management, Caroline crafted and implemented the innovative “Grow Well” employee model at Vertical Harvest.
In today’s episode, Harry, Nona, and Caroline discuss the inspirational work they are doing to bring architectural, economic, and social innovation to communities nationwide. Their mission is to bring meaningful employment to underserved populations and educate communities on how good jobs help differently-abled individuals to thrive.
Listen & Subscribe
USA: BALTIMORE - Hydroponic Operation Supplies High-End Restaurants
Growing vegetables in a shipping container have opened new marketing opportunities for a Baltimore County farm
Art Petrosemolo, Southeastern Pennsylvania Correspondent
Apr 23, 2021
Growing vegetables in a shipping container have opened new marketing opportunities for a Baltimore County farm.
The hydroponic growing system has allowed Karma Farm to sell fresh produce regardless of the season to high-end restaurants in Baltimore and Washington.
“Today we are delivering leafy greens and herbs year-round to a growing customer base,” said Jon Shaw, founder of the family operation.
The farm, which makes multiple weekly deliveries to 27 customers, has picked up clients through word of mouth and sampling visits arranged with chefs who find the farm on social media.
“Well-known chefs talk and move from restaurant to restaurant ... and they have brought us with them,” Shaw said.
The farm got its start just over a decade ago when Shaw was growing produce on 5 acres, both outside and in hoop houses, for retail sale as well as a nearly 100-member CSA.
Karma Farm purchased a freight container vertical hydroponics Leafy Green Machine from Freight Farms in Boston in 2017. Photo by Art Petrosemolo
Jon’s 28-year old son, Nat, learned the business from his dad as a teenager, and in the past few years he has helped Karma Farm pivot to the new customer base, embracing the new ag technologies.
Nat, now the farm’s hydroponic production manager, researched vertical growing in insulated shipping containers while he was studying entrepreneurship at the University of Baltimore and thought the year-round production method would be a good fit.
“Hydroponic container farming is still relatively new and is being introduced to farmers in parts of the country where short growing seasons, weather, and soil conditions make profitable, small family farming difficult,” he said.
With a feasibility study completed and a new focus for the business, the Shaws purchased a Leafy Green Machine container in 2017 from Freight Farms in Boston. The container is 40 feet long by 8 feet wide.
“These are the insulated type of refrigerated containers used to ship fresh produce across the country,” Nat said.
With delivery and setup, the container cost about $100,000.
Lead photo: Nat Shaw, left, and his dad, Karma Farm owner Jon Shaw, stand in their freight container.
May 18th, 9 am EST - Webinar On How To Invest In CEA With Confidence
Agritecture is hosting a series of webinars, starting with How to invest in CEA with confidence
Agritecture is hosting a series of webinars, starting with How to invest in CEA with confidence. The CEA sector is heating up and is expected to grow 5x over the next 10 years. Investment in CEA has surpassed $2.0B across North America and Europe. Join Henry Gordon-Smith, Founder & CEO at Agritecture, for this 1-hour live webinar to learn more about how to invest confidently in the CEA industry.
How To invest In Controlled
Environment Agriculture With
Confidence
May 18 - 9 am EST
The lineup of speakers include:
Louisa Burwood Taylor, Head of Media & Research at AgFunder
Robert Glanville, Senior Advisor at REG Consulting LLC
Andrew Carter, Co-Founder & CEO at Smallhold
Darren Thompson, CFO at Bowery Farming
Djavid Amidi Abraham, Director Of Consulting at Agritecture
Click Here To Register!
For more information, you can check out our events listing here.
Agritecture
www.agritecture.com
Entrepreneurs See Hydroponics As Farming Solution In Libya
Conventional Agriculture Struggles In Mostly-Desert North African Country
Conventional Agriculture Struggles
In Mostly-Desert North African Country.
11/04/2021
TRIPOLI--Under a yellow tarpaulin stretched over an arched metal frame, Siraj Bechiya and his partner inspect their hydroponically-grown lettuce, pioneers of the method in mostly-desert Libya where conventional agriculture struggles.
Zip ties, punctured plastic cups as pots and PVC tubing bought in DIY shops hold the precious crops at “Green Paradise” — so dubbed by the two young Libyan entrepreneurs spearheading the project.
But the ad hoc nature of the materials hasn’t stopped the plants from thriving, their long white roots nourished by water rich with nutrients and oxygen.
Bechiya and his partner, Mounir, have been working tirelessly on their project for months in the small town of Qouwea, 40 kilometres east of the capital Tripoli, erecting a tunnel-shaped greenhouse surrounded by breeze-block walls on a semi-arid site.
Their hope is to demystify hydroponic farming, which “guarantees a good yield in small spaces”, uses little water and doesn’t need pesticides, 20-year-old Bechiya said.
Soilless farming has gained ground in many countries but is still in its infancy in Libya.
But in a country whose territory is 90 percent arid desert, the method could offer a path toward more food self-sufficiency, Bechiya believes.
Challenges to farming
Agriculture remains a marginal sector in Libya, where the economy is dominated by hydrocarbons, the country boasting the most abundant oil reserves in Africa.
Arable land barely makes up three percent of Libya’s territory and is under threat, as rapid urbanisation eats up the fertile strip along the Mediterranean coast.
Another major challenge to farming in Libya is the lack of water where agriculture needs it most.
The Great Man-Made River — a pharaonic project realised by the toppled long-time ruler Muammar Gadhafi more than 30 years ago — carries drinking water pumped from groundwater tables in the south to the northern cities where most Libyans live.
But this resource is not infinite, and the GMMR’s network has been heavily damaged in the decade of conflict that has ravaged Libya since Kadhafi’s ouster in a 2011 NATO-backed uprising.
In the face of these challenges, Bechiya and Mounir set out to train in hydroponics two years ago in neighbouring Tunisia.
“When we came back, it was imperative that we move from theory to practice,” Bechiya said.
“We started with some vegetables in the house and we were surprised by people’s enthusiasm.”
New Techniques
In theory, hydroponics can guarantee higher yields and profits than conventional farming, which is at risk from weather, water shortages, and pollution from unregulated pesticide use.
“With more space in the greenhouse, the idea was able to take off. We will continue to develop it… and improve quality,” said Bechiya, as he measured the acidity of the water feeding his young lettuce.
“Libyan consumers don’t want produce full of pesticides anymore, but organic produce,” he added.
While not saturated with pesticides, hydroponic products, poo-pooed as bland by detractors, generally are not labeled organic.
Agronomist Abdelkafi al-Amrouni said the method “paves the way toward the introduction of new agricultural techniques in Libya” to compensate for water shortages.
There are still obstacles to widespread hydroponic use, however.
“It’s complicated and very expensive to get supplies in Libya,” even as the country tries to turn the page on a decade of chaos, Amrouni said.
Such costs could make the products ultimately prohibitively pricey.
But Bechiya is not deterred.
“You have to be patient and believe in your idea,” he said.
Lead photo: Project manager checks a plantation of hydroponically grown lettuce, in a greenhouse in the small town of Qouwea, about 40 kilometres east of Libya’s capital Tripoli. (AFP)
Polygreens Podcast Episode 21 - Dan Ovadya
Dan Ovadya stumbled into his career passion growing super sweet Chandler strawberries in low-tech greenhouses on the Israel-Jordan border in 1991