Increased Demand For Specialty Leafy Greens Drives Creation of Indoor Vegetable Division

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Recently, Sakata Seed announced the start of a division for indoor-grown vegetable varieties. “Given the rapid growth in vertical farming as well as the development of additional opportunities for leafy greens, we felt it was important to place additional emphasis on serving controlled environment agriculture to fuel its growth globally,” says Tracy Lee, who heads up the new division. “We have been a leader in developing varieties for the indoor space for a number of years and decided that now was an excellent time to devote even more resources to serving this indoor sector. With a dedicated Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) division, we are in a position to develop varieties that specifically focus on the precise needs of protected culture practices.”

With additional opportunities for leafy greens, Lee refers to microgreens and baby leaves, but also fully mature products are part of the portfolio. Although indoor varieties are many times the same as open field varieties, the final application of the product is what differentiates them. For example, baby leaf beet greens, if grown to full maturity would produce that actual beet root and be a fully marketable product. Some indoor greens are grown specifically for color, crunch, flavor, or volume. “It really depends on the grower’s needs for their product recipe,” Lee added.

Trending varieties
Astro arugula is an example of a variety that offers a strong, zesty flavor to mixes. Similarly, Miz America is a mustard with a deep dark red color to give color variation that looks great in a mix. Savanna is a spinach mustard that offers deeper green color and gets darker as it matures. Joi Choi is a pak choi that offers ease of growing in a tidy little package that is considered the industry standard. Last but not least, Sakata’s Lakeside spinach has smooth, dark green leaves that start out long and slender before maturing to a traditional round oval shape. “These are all trending varieties that we’re having great success with, lending themselves really well for an indoor growing environment,” she said.

Click here for a complete overview of Sakata’s indoor varieties.

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Starting top left and clockwise: Astro arugula, Miz America mustard, Lakeside spinach, and Savanna spinach mustard.

 Benefits of growing indoors
Lee has seen the interest in indoor agriculture increase in recent years. Demand for leafy greens with a distinct color or flavor profile is a key driver, but apart from the final application, an indoor growing environment has many benefits. “First of all, a controlled environment helps to increase plant productivity and yield in many cases. Often, transportation distances to the final consumer are shorter as many indoor growers are located near urban population centers. In addition, growers have more precise control or are less impacted by factors like lighting, temperature, humidity, CO2, water, and nutrient distribution compared to an outdoor setting. The controls available lead to the more precise timing of crops shortened distribution routes and fresher product for the end consumer,” she commented.

Greenhouses are probably the most popular structures for indoor agriculture. Some greenhouses are considered high-tech with full input controls, while others are mid-tech, offering a mixture of lighting and input controls. There are many variables such as supplemental lighting controls, heating, nutrient delivery, substrates, etc. that vary depending on the crop, application, and geography. Indoor vertical farms generally offer no natural lighting and have full control over all inputs that the plant would experience. Hoop houses and high tunnels are also part of indoor agriculture since they offer protection for light and wind over typical outdoor production.

Global trialing
Sakata works directly with indoor growers around the world for trialing its varieties. “We trial around the globe as varieties that work well in greenhouses in the Netherlands may not show the same performance in Canada, the US, or Mexico. Although we find it greatly beneficial to work directly with our Sakata breeding programs around the globe on product development initiatives, we always place varieties into the specific geography where they will grow. This ensures that the plants behave as expected in each environment.”

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For more information:
Tracy Lee
Sakata Seed America
tlee@sakata.com
www.sakatavegetables.com

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Mon 16 Nov 2020
Author: Marieke Hemmes
© HortiDaily.com

High-Tech Turns Abandoned Tunnel Into The World’s Largest Indoor Farm In S. Korea

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2020.11.16

By Jung Hyuk-hoon and Minu Kim

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An abandoned highway tunnel that once connected the cities of Daejeon and Daegu in southern South Korea is now home to the world’s largest indoor farm equipped with high-tech LEDs and sensors for hydroponic growing.

Okcheon Tunnel, the oldest part of the country’s main artery Gyeongbu Expressway, has been transformed into incubators for high-quality vegetables, strawberries, and crops for biomaterials. The farm’s floor spans 6,700 square meters, larger than a similar farm run by U.S. AeroFarms, a commercial leader in fully-controlled indoor vertical farming, according to its operator Nexton.

Nexton, a LED startup that operates the tunnel farm, was established in 2017 by three LED experts from Seoul Semiconductor, the world’s second-largest LED manufacturer with more than 14,000 patents.

A towering shelf body for leafy vegetable growing has 14 tiers from the tunnel floor to the ceiling with a single shelf 200 meters long. Key products that include Ezabel and Caipira lettuce are delivered to upscale franchises and large retailers. Annual output reaches 300 tons, equivalent to that from traditional soil farming on a 165,000 square meter. A shelf in the south end of the tunnel is for low-temperature strawberry cultivation. The section of 300-meter long shelves yields about 100 tons of strawberries per year.

Nexton’s chief executive Choi Jae-bin and vice president Lee Sang-min served as CEO and research head at Seoul Semiconductor, respectively.

Choi left Seoul Semiconductor in 2013 and explored new business opportunities in the field of indoor farming after he acquired a small LED lighting company. In a recent interview, Choi told Maeil Business Newspaper that he started to search for abandoned tunnels nationwide and found Okcheon Tunnel an ideal place to do indoor farming by reducing investment and operation costs while realizing economies of scale.

Choi said Nexton can stably produce leafy vegetables and strawberries thanks to its patented technology on LED lighting that replaces sunlight for plants.

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[Photo by Kim Ho-young]

Nexton’s LED is advantageous for indoor farming with low heat generation. General LEDs used in other indoor farms rise to 67 degrees Celsiusm which should be controlled by expensive air conditioning. Nexton’s LED heat does not rise above 32 degrees, Choi said.

Another strength is its LED design technology that produces the most favorable wavelength for photosynthesis. Air conditioning technology used in the LED manufacturing plant was also applied to the tunnel to support vegetable breathing.

Nexton is also devoted to the growing of biomaterial crops that can be used for functional foods or pharmaceuticals. Choi said the company is considering mass production of various functional material crops while establishing a separate growing asset for medicinal hemp and launching an overseas business as well.

Lead Photo by Kim Ho-young

Buffalo’s New ‘Container Farm Project’

by queenseyes

November 10, 2020

It’s great to see a push in WNY, for healthier food production for underserved neighborhoods. But what happens when the growing and harvesting seasons are over, and winter sets in? That’s a question that is now being asked, and answered, thanks to a pilot program that has been launched, which has resulted in the appearance of a specially outfitted 40-foot shipping container. This container – branded “Rooting for Our Neighbors” – will help to extend the growing season year-round, with produce being earmarked for food pantries and soup kitchens associated with the food security efforts of FeedMore WNY (the largest hunger-relief organization in WNY).

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This inventive (and very exciting) effort is thanks to a research collaboration funded by the New York Power Authority’s (NYPA) Environmental Justice Program and led by the National Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). Side benefits from the project include “environmental and energy impacts that could help reduce costs and expand crop production.”

The demonstration will:

• Provide produce for FeedMore WNY nutrition programs

• Help address climate change in communities that host NYPA facilities

• Support New York State’s clean energy and greenhouse gas reduction goals by using this low-energy indoor farming method

“The New York Power Authority is pleased to be part of this national collaboration with the Electric Power Research Institute that will improve indoor farming methods while supporting our neighbors in need in Western New York,” said NYPA Chairman John R. Koelmel. “Under Governor Andrew Cuomo’s continued climate leadership, we will find new and sustainable ways to grow affordable and fresh produce all year while prioritizing New York State’s greenhouse gas reduction goals.”

NYPA is one of eight utilities nationwide to participate in a two-year EPRI study designed to help utilities better understand and engage in commercial-scale indoor food production, which is reliant on efficient energy and water consumption.

The new indoor production facility is located at FeedMore WNY’s offices on James E. Casey Drive in Buffalo, which makes it easily accessible to deliver produce to a Mobile Food Pantry and Meals on Wheels programs, where kale dishes will be prepared. The first growing cycle will be dedicated to the growing of kale, which is high in nutrient value and has a short harvest cycle. After the first year, additional crops will be added to the program.

“Indoor agriculture is essential to future food production and we need to understand its implications for the electric power industry,” said Gil C. Quiniones, NYPA’s president and CEO. “NYPA is eager to demonstrate a replicable, sustainable indoor farming solution that helps to address climate change in the communities that host our facilities. If utilities have solid knowledge about how lighting, water use, and other systems impact plant production, we can be good partners in helping to provide food resources to disadvantaged communities in our respective regions through these innovative farming methods.”

Benefits of the indoor growing facility include: A controlled environment, pesticide-free, ‘sunless’ environment, and far less water usage when compared to traditional farming methods. Also, these mobile units can be built anywhere, which makes them ideal for addressing problems associated with ‘food deserts’ year-round. Additional benefits include very little transportation costs, reduction of spoiled produce, and a smaller carbon footprint… all while addressing food insecurity in WNY.

State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “This indoor farming project is a unique and creative way to support urban agriculture and to increase access to healthy food in our communities.  Building on the work the State has been doing through initiatives like Nourish to deliver fresh foods to families in need, this pilot program will allow FeedMore WNY to provide local agricultural products year-round. I thank NYPA, EPRI and FeedMore WNY for their participation in this forward-thinking project, and look forward to the first harvest.”

An advantage of ‘Container Farm Project’ is the ability to track data such as energy loads, water use, etc., which will help the research team to tweak and optimize the system. This technology will only get better and more efficient, with higher yields in years to come.

EPRI President Arshad Mansoor said, “Against the backdrop of increasing weather events and a global pandemic, there’s been an increasing appetite for indoor food production. EPRI engineers and scientists have been at the nucleus of this development, advancing technology to run container farm demonstrations across the country. This is a worldwide movement toward sustainable communities. Indoor agriculture also is an important part of efficient electrification, which is critical to enabling decarbonization throughout the economy.

Tara A. Ellis, president and CEO of FeedMore WNY, said, “FeedMore WNY is incredibly excited for this opportunity to work with New York Power Authority and the Electric Power Research Institute in order to grow nutritious produce for distribution to our hungry community members, NYPA and EPRI are the true definition of good neighbors and we are so fortunate to have their support as we work to make sure our neighbors in need have access to nutritious food, including fresh produce.”

This new program is part of NYPA’s Environmental Justice program, which is not only dedicated to providing educational programs about clean, renewable energy, and sustainability, it is also in place to address food insecurity, while helping to better the lives of those who live in underrepresented communities near NYPA’s power assets.

“NYPA uses its expertise and resources to help benefit residents who live and work in areas near our facilities,” said Lisa Payne Wansley, NYPA vice president of environmental justice and sustainability. “This indoor food production initiative aligns with and supports NYPA’s Sustainability Plan goals to demonstrate sustainable solutions to addressing climate change in local communities where we operate.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented mounting food insecurity problems, which must be dealt with immediately, especially in cities with colder climates.

Senator Tim Kennedy said, “For years, FeedMore WNY has served as a critical resource for many, and that important role has only been magnified throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this partnership, WNY families will have increased access to fresh, locally grown food, which will in turn fuel healthier communities and provide nutritious support to those who need it most.”

Majority Leader Crystal Peoples-Stokes said, “This collaboration is a major step forward in bringing healthy food options, mainly fresh fruits, and vegetables, to some of our city’s food deserts. We thank the NYPA and the state for dedicating its expertise and resources to EPRI and FeedMore WNY to help advance year-round indoor farming in areas that need it the most.”

Mayor Byron W. Brown said, “Low-income communities, and especially Black and brown communities, have historically faced difficulties with food security and access to fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables. The COVID-19 pandemic has only heightened those challenges, either through a loss of income, decreased mobility, or more limited access to supportive nutritional programs.  Today’s announcement of this new partnership is a bold step in helping to address these systemic problems. I am confident that this collaboration between Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office, the New York Power Authority’s Environmental Justice Program, the Electric Power Research Institute and FeedMore WNY, will help advance indoor farming in our community and further strengthen Buffalo’s year-round production of fresh produce in the neighborhoods with residents who have had the most trouble accessing them.”

Tagged with:'Container Farm Project', Electric Power Research Institute, Environmental Justice Program, FeedMore WNY, New York Power Authority

BUFFALO RISING MEDIA

VIDEO: Nature Fresh Farms Opens Up About Guest Worker Program In Short Documentary

Leamington, ON (November 10th, 2020) – Nature Fresh Farms has released a twenty-two-minute documentary offering an inside look at their operations during the Covid-19 outbreak centering around the experiences of their guest workers.

The film focuses on the Guest Workers that have come to Canada as an opportunity to work, and for some a way to provide for their families. The documentary captures the personalities and perspectives of several guest workers, giving them a platform to share their experiences over the past summer but also speak about their overall time at Nature Fresh Farms.

“People are going to get a lot out of this documentary, no matter how familiar they are with agriculture,” explained John Ketler, Vice President. “Even if you’re familiar with Guest Workers and how valuable they are to our food system, it’s not often that you get to hear from them directly about their experiences and dreams, or their perspectives on the program they’re an integral part of. Their voices deserve to be heard.”

The Guest Workers that have chosen to come to Canada have had to make personal sacrifices in order to work here while being away from their families for months at a time, Nature Fresh Farms understands the importance of creating a supportive and safe living environment to help make the transition easier. They hope that this documentary clears up any misconceptions people may have had regarding the treatment of their employees and that there is no question if they truly value, support, and care for their team.

“Transparency is one of our company’s key pillars. Whether we are talking about how we grow our Tomatoes, or how we treat our team, we’ve always been an open book,” shared Founder and President, Peter Quiring. “We hope this documentary will help us continue to be fully transparent about who we are and what we stand for, as well as help us share the details of what happened at our farm this summer.”

In addition to the documentary, Nature Fresh Farms released an information page on their website to provide additional information answering some frequently asked questions about their on the Guest Worker Program and introduce a few of the individuals participating in the program.

-30-

About Nature Fresh Farms -

Continuously expanding, Nature Fresh Farms has become one of the largest independent, vertically integrated greenhouse vegetable farms in North America. As a year-round grower with farms in Leamington, ON, Delta, OH, and Mexico, Nature Fresh Farms prides itself on consistently delivering exceptional flavor and quality to key retailers throughout North America, while continuing to innovate and introduce more viable and sustainable growing and packaging solutions.

SOURCE: Nature Fresh Farms | info@naturefresh.ca T: 519 326 1111 | www.naturefresh.ca

Links: https://www.naturefresh.ca/our-guest-workers/

SINGAPORE: High-Tech Vertical Farms To Begin Operations Next Year And Bring Fresher Leafy Greens To S’poreans’ Plates

By LOW YOUJIN

NOVEMBER 15, 2020

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&ever's dryponics cultivation technique will allow customers to harvest their vegetables just before they decide to use it.

• &ever, Indoor Farm Factory Innovation and Genesis One Tech Farm are part of eight companies that have accepted SFA’s 30X30 Express Grant

• The grant will help these companies accelerate Singapore’s efforts to meet 30 percent of its nutritional needs locally by 2030

• The benefits of indoor farming are that it requires less space to grow crops, and optimal growing conditions can be replicated

• Representatives from the three companies said prices will be competitive, and they will offer Singaporeans fresher and higher quality produce

 SINGAPORE — From next year, Singaporeans can expect more of their favorite Asian vegetables to reach their plates quicker and fresher, thanks to a slew of high-tech urban farms that are set to begin operations.

For vertical farming company &ever, it can even sell its vegetables “while they are still living”, said the firm’s chief executive officer Henner Schwarz.“You don't need to refrigerate it down to 4°C (to keep it fresh),” he said. “You can actually have it at room temperature when you buy it at the supermarket, and it continues to grow at home. It stays fresh for at least a week.”&ever currently has a fully operational indoor farm using the same technology in Kuwait that produces about half a tonne of vegetables each day.

Its Singapore outfit, which will be located within the Changi vicinity and will be operating from around October next year, will be larger and produce more than double that amount — about 1.25 tonnes a day — said Dr. Schwarz.

The Hamburg-based company is just one of eight companies — an egg farm and seven vegetable farms — to have accepted the Singapore Food Agency’s (SFA) 30x30 Express Grant to ramp up local food production.

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The SFA said the grant will accelerate Singapore’s efforts to meet its 30 by 30 goal, which is to secure 30 percent of the country’s nutritional needs with food produced locally by 2030.

It will also help to minimize disruptions to Singapore’s food security, due to events such as the Covid-19 pandemic.

Part of the grant requirements, said some recipients who are growing vegetables, is to ensure at least 50 percent of the crops grown are Asian greens like xiao bai cai or kangkong.

THE SINGAPORE FIRMS

Two Singaporean companies that have accepted the grant have similarly shared some of the innovative technologies that they will be using.

Over at the south-western end of the island, Indoor Farm Factory Innovation (IFFI) intends to leverage on its parent company Tranzplus’ knowledge of automation to make its work processes more efficient.

Mr. Alfred Tham, IFFI’s chief executive officer, said robotics will also help reduce operational costs at its 38,000 square foot facility at JTC Space @ Tuas when it is ready for operation in the second half of next year.

Beyond that, Mr. Tham said their machines will have the ability to analyze the condition of the plants, such as when they will be ready for harvest.

All this, he said, will not only help to reduce manpower needs but also scale up production to meet SFA’s minimum requirement of 200 tonnes of produce annually.

Mr. Tham said IFFI will be using an indoor farming methodology of soil-based cultivation, which allows them to have greater flexibility in the variety of crops that they can grow.

What this means is that the plants can be grown in separate containers, which enables them to customize the growing conditions as needed.

Moreover, it reduces the risk of cross-contamination between plants, said Mr. Tham. Still, Mr. Tham said they will be utilizing a special water treatment system to reduce bacteria.

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Mr. Alfred Tham, CEO of IFFI, beside a robotic arm that will be featured in his firm's vertical farm facility in Tuas. Photo: Low Youjin/TODAY

Meanwhile, Genesis One Tech Farm intends to take its operations closer to the heartlands and will have a 10,000sq ft facility situated in Eunos that is about a three-minute walk from the Singpost Centre.

The farm’s director, Mr. Shawn Ow, expects operations to begin within the first quarter of next year.

One of the key technical features of the subsidiary of the investment holding and managing company, TSL Group, is the use of a custom-designed hybrid Nutrient Film Technology system, coupled with 5G energy-saving LED lighting in order to maximize growth cycle efficiency.

Mr. Ow said the system enables the firm to recycle the water used, thus using a fraction of the water requirements generally associated with a hydroponic system and minimizing the environmental waste impact.

But more importantly, said Mr. Ow, is that his company hopes to provide jobs for Singaporeans. It is exploring hiring residents living around the area on a part-time basis and is also in discussions with an institution supporting the rehabilitation of ex-offenders.

And as the firm is located within the heartlands, it is also not ruling out the possibility of allowing potential customers to buy directly from its facility.

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Mr. Shawn Ow, director of Genesis One Tech Farm, at his company's test lab. Photo: Nuria Ling/TODAY

‘BUY LOCAL’

For Mr. Tham, he plans to start a cafe in Bukit Panjang which will not only feature its produce on the menu but a cultivation showroom to raise awareness about indoor farming.“When we talk about indoor farms, not many have seen it,” he said.

The Big Read: Singapore has been buttressing its food security for decades. Now, people realize why

Aside from taking up far less space compared to a traditional open-air farm, vertical indoor farms are also not at the mercy of the weather, said the representatives from the three companies.

Moreover, growing conditions such as temperature, humidity, and lighting conditions can be replicated so that plants that do not normally thrive in the tropics can be grown indoors instead.

Price-wise, the representatives said it will be competitive.

The prices may not be cheaper than the vegetables imported from Malaysia, but Mr. Tham said they will definitely be fresher and of higher quality. It also offers a better alternative compared to imports from further away.“If you are choosing between imports from Japan or local produce, buy local,” he said. “The reason is very simple — it reduces the carbon footprint.”

TOPICS

SINGAPORE FOOD AGENCY FOOD FARMING AGRICULTURE FOOD SECURITY

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Abu Dhabi’s AgTech Ecosystem Expands Across Land, Sea And Space

•      ADIO partners with Pure Harvest Smart Farms, FreshToHome, and Nanoracks

•  AED 152 million (USD 41 million) incentives for ‘land, sea and space’ projects to increase AgTech capabilities for food production in arid and desert environments

• New partnerships part of ADIO’s AgTech Incentive Programme, established under Ghadan 21, Abu Dhabi’s accelerator program

Abu Dhabi, UAE – 10 November 2020: Three innovative agriculture companies will develop cutting-edge projects in Abu Dhabi to boost the emirate’s agriculture technology (AgTech) capabilities across land, sea, and space. The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) announced today individual partnerships with Pure Harvest Smart Farms (Pure Harvest), FreshToHome, and Nanoracks that will see the companies receive financial and non-financial incentives totaling AED 152 million (USD 41 million). The research and technologies developed by these companies will expand existing capabilities in Abu Dhabi’s AgTech ecosystem and promote innovation in the sector to address global food security challenges.

The new partnerships are a continuation of ADIO’s efforts to accelerate the growth of Abu Dhabi’s AgTech ecosystem through the AgTech Incentive Programme, which was established under Ghadan 21, Abu Dhabi’s accelerator program. The Programme is open to both local and international AgTech companies. The partnerships follow ADIO’s AED 367 million (USD 100 million) investment earlier this year to bring four AgTech pioneers – AeroFarms, Madar Farms, RNZ, and Responsive Drip Irrigation (RDI) – to the emirate to develop next-generation agriculture solutions in arid and desert climates.

H.E. Dr. Tariq Bin Hendi, Director General of ADIO, said: “Abu Dhabi is pressing ahead at full steam with our mission to ‘turn the desert green’ and solve long-term global food security issues. We have created an environment where innovative ideas can flourish and this has enabled the rapid expansion of our AgTech sector. Innovations from the companies we partnered with earlier this year are already propelling the growth of Abu Dhabi’s 24,000 farms. Partnering with Pure Harvest, FreshToHome and Nanoracks adds a realm of new capabilities to the ecosystem across land, sea, and space.”

Bin Hendi continued: “We are driving innovation across the entire agriculture value chain and this is producing a compounding effect that is benefiting farmers, innovators, and companies in our region and beyond.”

Pure Harvest, FreshToHome, and Nanoracks have been awarded financial and non-financial incentives to expand operations in Abu Dhabi. The competitive incentive packages include rebates on innovation-linked high-skilled payroll, high-tech CAPEX, as well as land, utility, and intellectual property support. 

Since the beginning of 2020, ADIO has attracted seven AgTech companies to Abu Dhabi, each bringing a complementary skill to expand the ecosystem. ADIO’s new partnerships with Pure Harvest, FreshToHome, and Nanoracks will build on the achievements made by AeroFarms, Madar Farms, RNZ, and RDI, the AgTech pioneers ADIO partnered with earlier this year to establish R&D and production facilities in Abu Dhabi.

Partnerships with Pure Harvest, FreshToHome, Nanoracks

Pure Harvest is a home-grown, tech-enabled farming venture that uses cutting-edge food production systems to grow fresh fruits and vegetables in a climate-controlled environment, enabling year-round production anywhere, while using seven times less water compared to traditional farming methods. Pure Harvest will invest in smart farming and infrastructure technologies at its new farms in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, to optimize growing conditions through hardware design innovations, artificial intelligence, autonomous growing and robotics, plant science research, and desert-optimized machines. The company will also progress R&D and deployment of a commercial-scale algae bioreactor production facility that will grow higher quality, healthier Omega-3 fatty acids without the limitations and challenges of traditional animal sources.

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Sky Kurtz, Co-Founder, and CEO of Pure Harvest, said: “We are delighted to have received the support of ADIO to further invest in our home-grown, innovative growing solutions. It also serves as a powerful endorsement of our business case and mission as we pursue innovation to address food security locally and internationally. As one of the pioneering champions in the region’s emerging AgTech sector, this commitment will give us the resources we need to drive and expand our R&D capabilities and will position us for international expansion from our strategic base in Abu Dhabi. This partnership further demonstrates how committed the government is in supporting and enabling innovative technology companies, providing them with the tools, resources, and support to thrive and make a large-scale impact in the region.”

FreshToHome is an e-grocery platform for fresh, chemical-free produce. The company maintains complete control over its supply chain, inventory, and logistics by obtaining produce directly from the source through an AI-powered auction process. ADIO’s partnership will aid the expansion of FreshToHome’s land and sea operational and processing capabilities in the UAE, bringing expertise in aquaculture, contract farming for marine and freshwater fish species, and precision agriculture to Abu Dhabi. It will also invest in innovative fish farming technologies and cold chain. 

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Shan Kadavil, CEO and Co-Founder of FreshToHome, said: “At FreshToHome we use cutting-edge research in AI and precision aquaculture for furthering food security in a sustainable manner while also giving better value to consumers, fishermen, and farmers. To this end, we intend to bring our US patent pending AI-powered Virtual Commodities Exchange technology, our e-grocery platform, and our nano farm aquaculture technology to Abu Dhabi, enhancing food production and distribution for the region. ADIO has been a terrific partner to us and we are thankful for their support in helping us be part of the vision.” 

US-based Nanoracks, the single largest commercial user of the International Space Station, opened its first UAE office in Abu Dhabi’s global tech ecosystem, Hub71, in 2019. Nanoracks is building the first-ever commercial AgTech space research program, the ‘StarLab Space Farming Center’, in Abu Dhabi as a commercial space research facility focused on advancing knowledge and technology for organisms and food produced in space and in equally extreme climates on Earth. The space-based technology will be applied to desert agriculture to address pressing environmental and food security challenges and to benefit long-term human space exploration.

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Allen Herbert, SVP of Business Development and Strategy, and Head of Nanoracks, UAE, said: “Much of today’s technology used for vertical, urban and closed environment agriculture initially came from space research from 30 years ago, and Nanoracks is ready to synergize these technologies back to in-space exploration. We firmly believe that space research holds the keys to solving major challenges on Earth from climate change to food security. And our StarLab Space Farming Center in Abu Dhabi is just the beginning. We’re building a global research and development team that will produce and commercialize organisms, technology, and innovative products that will not only revolutionize farming in Earth’s deserts and harsh environments but also change the way humans are able to explore deeper into our universe.”

Earth911 Podcast: Eden Green CEO Eddy Badrina Talks About Vertical Greenhouse Farming

Earth911 | Nov 9, 2020

Earth911 talks with Eden Green CEO Eddy Badrina about the company’s vertical greenhouses that will help the world grow locally and end food insecurity. While Americans expect to buy fresh product year-round, flying foods from Central America and the Southern Hemisphere carries a heavy environmental cost. Urban farming can fill in critical gaps in local food supplies, providing year-round, locally grown fresh produce.

Eden Green licenses the growing system to urban farmers who can set up in old buildings and warehouses to grow fresh greens, berries, and peppers year-round. The system uses natural light augmented by lighting on cloudy days, along with recycled water to substantially reduce the carbon footprint compared to traditional farming. Badrina discusses the pressing need for food production and security to serve a growing population.

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EDEN GREEN CEO EDDY BADRINA

Eden Green Technologies built a research and development greenhouse farm in Cleburne, Texas, and is preparing to launch its first commercial farming operation. The farm system includes 18-foot vertical hydroponic growing racks, lighting, and climate management equipment. With this system, a 1.5-acre urban farm can grow around 900,000 pounds of salad greens or 50 other types of produce annually, harvesting fresh produce daily for local consumption. The Eden Green systems delivers produce that is “better than organic,” Badrina said, that grows year-round, in any climate.

Badrina explains that urban farms will open new employment opportunities and encourage growers to give back to their communities. The Eden Green team will work with investors and local communities to work out the financing, build the farm, train the staff, and launch the business before handing it over to the local operator.

Listen to the podcast at Earth911.com.

To learn more about Eden Green and vertical greenhouses, visit edengreen.com.

• Subscribe to Sustainability In Your Ear on iTunes

• Follow Sustainability In Your Ear on Spreaker, iHeartRadio, or YouTube

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S. Korea’s Indoor Farming Technology Helps Crop Production In The Middle East

2020-11-12

This may look like a regular shipping container, but in fact it’s an indoor vertical farm exported to the United Arab Emirates by a South Korean company. The 12-meter long container is filled with vertical racks of crops, including Romaine lettuce.

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Named ‘Planty Cube’, the farm replaces conventional farming methods with digital technology.
Natural sunlight is replaced with artificial lighting and water levels, air temperatures, and humidity can be adjusted with just a few clicks.

"It also operates under a hydroponic system, where nutrients are mixed into water so that crops can grow without soil."

Farms can also be monitored remotely from South Korea, even from a smartphone, and conditions can be adjusted to optimize plant growth.
This way of farming can produce quality food all year round, without being affected by the weather, natural disasters, or disease.

There has been high demand for South Korean indoor vertical farms in the Middle East.
Two indoor vertical farms were first set up in July 2019 as part of a pilot project.
Now a total of 10 are stationed in Abu Dhabi with more planned to be shipped next year.

"We are actually planning to export our farm in the next first quarter about 50 cultivation modules… Also, we're getting a lot of requests from other GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) areas, such as Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Kuwait. "

South Korea launched a set of programs last year to export its smart farm technologies.
It aims to become a key player in the industry, along with the U.S. and the Netherlands.
Min Suk-hyen, Arirang News.Reporter : shmin@arirang.com

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본 저작물 중 본문에 해당하는 뉴스 스크립트(텍스트)는 공공누리 제1유형-출처표시 조건에 따라 이용할 수 있습니다.

Breakthrough Biological Innovation – The Key To Profitable And Sustainable Vertical Farming

Algae-Based Biostimulants Improve Growth Velocity, Yield, And Quality

In Hydroponic And Aeroponic Indoor Farming

The rapid growth of urban agglomerations across the planet presents serious food security challenges. The US Census Bureau estimated that 80% of Americans lived in cities in 2015. Vertical farming is generally regarded as the most promising approach to supplying cities with fresh leafy greens, vegetables, and small fruits, but skeptics point out that we still have a long way to go before indoor “plant factories” can reach the scale and efficiencies that would make them a truly sustainable source of nutrition for millions of people.

Vertical farming, first conceptualized in the late ’90s, is premised on the idea of “a farm within a skyscraper” where environmental conditions, nutrition, and lighting can be optimized. Growing crops in layers instead of rows, usually employing hydroponics, is a concept that has seduced investors globally. We all see the advantages of growing our food locally - in shipping containers, in warehouses and maybe even in skyscrapers to reduce the need for trans-continental shipping, to generate employment and limit pesticide and chemical-input intensive outdoor farming.

The major barrier to the upscale of vertical farming is economic sustainability and this is mainly related to the energy costs associated with artificial lighting. Can local, vertically grown produce be sold affordably? Despite remarkable technological advances in lighting technology and automation and the availability of renewable energy, there is still an urgent need to develop innovative solutions to get vertical farming over the “tipping point” from a promising food security approach and into a real, long- term and indispensable part of urban food systems.

Doing More with Less

How can vertical farms use less energy and produce more and better? In Chicago, Back of the Yards Algae Sciences, a sustainable industrial biotechnology company, has been working on a simple but elegant solution; grow in less time. After almost 2 years of intensive research, they just published a paper demonstrating that an algae-derived biostimulant (a formulated biological material for improving plant growth) shortened the time between planting and harvesting hydroponically grown red leaf and green leaf lettuce by six days. Since traditionally farmed, outdoor-gown lettuce is currently three-to-five times less expensive to grow than vertically farmed lettuce, a shortened growing period may have significant implications for the economic sustainability of vertical farming as it reduces energy inputs and labor costs.

This breakthrough research was based on the concept of trying to translate the amazing interaction between plants and their soil environments into hydroponic and aeroponic systems. The team was already developing a proprietary Spirulina (blue-green algae) extract for the food and alternative protein markets and began to explore whether phycocyanin, a protein-pigment complex that acts as a key regulator of photosynthesis in blue-green algae, could play a similar role in plants growth.

A series of experiments produced evidence that a phycocyanin-rich Spirulina extract worked as a biostimulant in hydroponics, improving growth, yield, and quality of lettuce while cutting maturation time by 6 days-or 21%-compared to control groups. The faster-growing treatment groups also produced 12.5% more lettuce and were 22% better at photosynthesis than control groups. The treated lettuce was more robust; a mean increase of 2.6cm in leaf length and 2.2cm in basal stem diameter compared to the untreated lettuce was observed and. In the shelf-life test, wilting was seen 2-3 days after it was observed in control groups.

Treatment groups were brighter green (specifically 17% brighter and 75% greener) and better tasting. They had firmer texture, a stronger aroma, and more intense flavor than the untreated group, according to an independent certification company. Using analytical chemistry techniques, the team also examined nutrient content by comparing flavonoid-antioxidant levels in control and experimental groups. Their findings suggested experimental groups were more nutrient-rich, where one flavonoid, Quercetin, had a mean increase of 30% in the treated lettuce.

What it Means

Back of the Yards Algae Sciences was working to cut growing time in hydroponically grown lettuce using a biostimulant to give vertical farmers a new avenue for reducing energy inputs. They were successful and also happened to find that Spirulina extract biostimulants improved color, vigor, nutrient content, and preservation. These product quality findings will support vertical farming in improving profitability by ensuring better selling prices. But perhaps the most exciting aspect of developing natural biostimulants specifically for vertical farming is the possibility to extend the indoor farming sector into row crops as food staples (wheat, soy, corn), ensuring not only better and more secure food supplies for urban populations, but also protecting the environment.

This research is available at: https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/202011.0354/v1

For further information – www.algaesciences.com

Tobias Speaks To The Importance His Organization Places On Transparency And Visionary Thinking

THIS WEEK'S EPISODE

To kick off Season 2 in grand style, I'm excited to share my conversation with Tobias Peggs, CEO of Square Roots, an indoor urban farming company that connects people in cities to local, real food. In this episode, Harry and Tobias discuss the growing demand for a more efficient global food system.

Tobias speaks to the importance his organization places on transparency and visionary thinking as well as future initiatives he and his team are currently planning.

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Ceres combines smart greenhouse design with customized climate control technology to build sustainable growing environments for year-round production. They work with their customers and clients every step of the way, from helping to secure funding to providing growing data. Whether you're a commercial entrepreneur, an educator, or someone looking for a rewarding hobby, visit ceresgreenhousesolutions.com to get started on your greenhouse goals.

This week's recap was compiled by our newest team member Daniel Dray, an environmental engineer living in New York City with a passion for urban agriculture. He'll be taking over the reigns of the newsletter as well.

Daniel became interested in the vertical farming industry early in the Covid-19 pandemic when access to fresh and healthy food was challenged. To make a positive impact on the world, Daniel hopes to contribute to the local food movement through the vertical farming industry.

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The Top 5 Hydroponic Growing Mediums You Should Use

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Hydroponics is a farming method that doesn’t require soil to grow plants or foods. Soil is not used in this form of farming. Other hydroponic growing mediums are used instead. This article is going to cover the five best hydroponic growing mediums to use for your garden.

Perlite

Perlite is a volcanic rock that is exposed to high heat to turn it into a lightweight, porous medium. You can mix perlite in with other mediums or use it on its own. This porous medium is well known for its high water retention ability, and it is effective at retaining oxygen due to its porousness. The downside to perlite is that it is lightweight, which can cause it to float in high water settings like with ebb-and-flow systems. It’s better to use perlite in hydroponic systems with draining systems.

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Coco Coir

Coco coir is one of the hydroponic growing mediums that has become more popular to use. Coco coir is grounded coconut husks and is a reusable medium, which helps create less waste. This medium effectively retains water to help hydrate your plants and is a great medium for beginners since it looks like soil. However, it isn’t soil and still requires nutrients and a controlled pH level.

Clay Pellets

Clay pellets are another popular hydroponic growing medium because of its porous material. A benefit of using clay pellets is that they are pH neutral, and they quickly soak up excess moisture. Clay pellets are reusable as long as you clean them between every growth cycle. It’s best to use clay pellets when you’re having issues with draining, but be careful clay pellets can drain and dry very quickly, which may dry out your roots.

Starter Plugs

Starter plugs are a newer hydroponic growing medium that is made from organic compost. This sponge medium is useful when you are growing seedlings or cloning, so you can later incorporate them into your hydroponic systems.

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Rockwool

Many hydroponic growers use rockwool as their go-to medium. Rockwool is a melted rock that’s spun to create thin, long fibers, which are pressed into a cube shape. You will have to balance its pH before using it by soaking it in pH balanced water. Since it retains water so effectively, you will have to make sure it doesn’t oversaturate your plants. It’s an effective medium to use to ensure your plants get a majority of the necessary nutrients. However, it isn’t a biodegradable medium, and you do have to balance the pH before each use.

Knowing which hydroponic growing mediums to use can be a tough choice since there are so many options available. If you want to learn more about innovative farming methods, sign up for our microgreens class to learn more! Or, you can become a patron member to See Behind the Greens, where you’ll witness how food can be grown in closets, kitchen counters, living rooms, and more so you can learn how to do it too!

#hydroponicgrowingmedium #hydroponicgrowingsubstrate #bestmediatogrow #growmedia #rockwool #starterplugs #cococoir #perlite #claypellets #growingmedium #growmedium #growsubstrate

MONACO: Growing Vegetables On The Rooftops of World’s Most Densely Populated Country

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Lola Senoble

13 November 2020

With over 19,000 people per square kilometer, Monaco has one of the highest population densities in the world, making a less than ideal place for farming.  Yet Terre de Monaco has defied the odds. The urban agriculture company currently exploits 1,600 m² of arable land in a country with an area just over two square kilometers.    

As Jessica Sbaraglia knows well, to grow fruits and vegetables in Monaco, you need to start from the top. And that is exactly what Terre de Monaco does. Specialized in urban agriculture, the company installs vegetable farms on the roofs of Monaco’s buildings.

Terre de Monaco was founded in 2016. “Six years ago, I shut down my first company and underwent a bit of an existential crisis. What is my purpose in life, what sort of values should I embody?” says Jessica Sbaraglia, who was born in Switzerland.

That taste, I’ve never been able to find anywhere else

Bringing permaculture to Monaco

It was then that she remembered her parents’ vegetable garden, its fruit and vegetables, and their exceptional taste. “That taste, I’ve never been able to find anywhere else,” she says. So, she starts a vegetable garden on her balcony, to “therapeutic, relaxing and rewarding” effects

But soon enough, Jessica Sbaraglia runs out of space. It’s when she starts to “colonize” her neighbors’ balconies that she comes up with the idea for Terres de Monaco. Her new company will farm Monaco’s roofs. “They didn’t know what to do with me. They thought my ambitions a bit ridiculous. They thought it wouldn’t work, that there was no room,” she says.

Zero carbon, zero waste

Today, Terre de Monaco grows fruits and vegetables on five different buildings. There’s a  400 m² vegetable garden on The Monte-Carlo Bay, whose produce goes straight into the kitchens of starred chef Marcel Ravin. A second vegetable garden is on the Tour Odéon, which is now home to 450m² of farmland, as well as 60 hens*, ten beehives, and about thirty fruit trees. Terres de Monaco has also set up vegetable gardens on the 14th floor of the Ruscino residence and on the roof of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, as well as a therapeutic garden at the Princess Grace Hospital.

Seasonal fruits and vegetables, as well as the eggs and honey, are sold to people who either live in the building or who work on the farm. “The products we harvest at the Odeon Tower, for example, are sold to the people who live there,” explains Jessica Sbaraglia. Terre de Monaco has now expanded its services to offer individual consultations on how to create and maintain a vegetable garden. They also run numerous educational workshops in schools.

I am convinced that urban agriculture has a great future ahead

Bringing the concept abroad

Terre de Monaco has also been busy exporting their concept abroad: Terre de Monaco is now joined by Terre de Nice.

“We’re working on a fully-fledged farm, that will be built near the Nice stadium. The farm will be spread over seven roofs, which will be connected to each other by footbridges. We’re also introducing a bar and restaurant, which will serve our products”, explains Jessica Sbaraglia. A similar project is planned in Belgium – Terre de Monaco now becomes Terre de Tubize – where 8,000 m² worth of roofs will be turned into vegetable gardens. Other projects in the towns around Monaco, such as Cap d’Ail, as well as in Switzerland are also in the books. 

The pandemic has put environmental issues at the forefront, as Jessica Sbaraglia is well aware: “I am convinced that urban agriculture has a great future ahead. More and more businesses are getting involved because the demand is there”.

There’s something almost poetic about Jessica Sbaraglia’s work: In order to go back to earthly roots, Terre de Monaco looked up towards the sky.  

* The hens also help recycle a yearly six tonnes of vegetable waste from the Terre de Monaco vegetable gardens and other Monaco establishments, such as the Café de Paris.

© Terre de Monaco

The International Online Festival On Hydroponics & Aquaponics - November 27 - 28, 2020

Join 1000+ of World’s Brightest Minds in Hydroponics & Aquaponics to Learn, Share Secrets & Network Online. 

For two days, Agritech Fest will stream speeches, social lounge, networking sessions, and live Q&A sessions to help upgrade yourself to the next level. The all-in-one Hydroponic and Aquaponic event will bring you closer to leading growers and brands than ever before. 

Click here to sign up. 

Have a look at the event trailer below:

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For more information:

www.welcome.agritechfest.com

INTERVIEW AND PODCAST: A Bigger Slice of The Pie – The Growth of Urban Agritech

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Clima - Powered by IGS

EDITION 4 Mark Horler

Chair of UKUAT

Having been closely embedded in the urban agritech sector for many years, Mark’s perspective carries with it a wealth of global exposure and experience. He is, furthermore, committed to delivering a greater profile for the UK in this market. He talks to us about the part the UK has to play in the expansion of agritech across both a local and global context, considering the opportunities being brought to bear for this emerging agricultural approach. We discuss the merits of competition versus collaboration and the ways in which the two approaches can be respectively utilised to increase extent to which urban agritech can thrive as part of the wider agricultural ecosystem.

Interview

Q) Can you share some background to the founding vision for UKUAT?

I previously worked with an international organisation in the vertical farming space and it led me to conclude that we needed organisations which reflect overarching principles but are more ‘on the ground’ in terms of how they operate.

UKUAT started three and half years ago with five people on the phone informally keeping each other updated about what we were doing, sharing events and talking about how we could collaborate.

It grew organically and became an informal organization with regular meetings. This year we became a formalised non-profit organisation pursuing our goals more seriously. UKUAT is based around familiar principles of: engaging with policy; with education; research and expertise; and collaboration across the urban agritech community. We have approximately 60 members: half are organisational members, which comprises commercial organisations like IGS, universities and research groups, and the other half are individuals such as academics, policy developers and those really interested in this space.

 Q) You have been involved in the urban agritech sector for several years. How has sector interest grown, as well as broader consumer interest?

There is growing interest in the sector, in fact it is growing pretty quickly now. It was slower in the UK initially but there are a bunch of drivers moving it forward now: Brexit, climate change and food resilience more generally, so it has begun to accelerate rapidly.

From a consumer perspective, the topic which seems to be driving everything is localism and even hyper-localism. People are interested in this and like the ideas of transparency and sustainability. Knowing where your food comes from is driving interest in agritech solutions, the key ones being vertical farming (based more on volume) and rooftop greenhouse approach (based more on how and where produce is being delivered). 

Q) What are the challenges facing the urban agritech sector? And what are the opportunities?

Everything depends on context, geographical placement and above all else what you are doing it for – be that commercial, educational, or social value. This drives how your whole business or organization will operate. There are numerous challenges such as high CAPEX and OPEX as well as policy questions around planning and subsidies and how those interact with your company or project. However, the industry is aware of these challenges and is really starting to address them. As a result, we believe there will be an explosion of opportunity to really expand this industry out quickly.

“We believe there will be an explosion of opportunity to really expand this industry out pretty quickly.”

 Q) Which will further the development of the CEA and urban agritech industries in your opinion – greater collaboration or greater competition?

It is a bit of both. I prefer to refer to it like a ‘pie’. When greater competition is introduced, there is a struggle to gain a greater proportion of the pie. The role of the UKUAT, and indeed greater collaboration, is to make that pie bigger overall.

Cooperation happens in a pre-competitive space in areas such as research, education and policy, allowing everybody to move forward together. This is necessary, otherwise you end up with people reinventing the wheel and addressing same challenges over and over again. Collaboration allows people to move forward together in many areas, but still compete on price, product, branding, IP – whatever it may be – but they just do that with a raised baseline from which to operate.

“Collaboration allows people to move forward together in many areas, but still compete … with a raised base line with which to operate.”

 Q) Should there be more discussion and co-working between urban and town planners and agritech innovators?

Yes, this is a critical area and one we are working hard on. We want to end up with a typology of use classes which will work for urban and town planners. They want to know easily what requirements and resources will be needed, what solutions might look like and then where to put them. Their job is ultimately to make a reasonable or reasoned decision about whether to approve or propose fitting something in, and there’s work we’re doing to support this.

That sort of typology could be applicable in a variety of scenarios including a rooftop farm, a new build or a retrofit, façade or whatever it might be; what power requirements it might have for example. Having an awareness of all these elements would then allow planners to make informed decisions about how a scheme would work. This would then end up (ideally) with a smarter system where a company will go and talk to a town planner or these types of solutions would be considered earlier if a city council has a site on which it wants to build. Developers would then be able to consider these too and include urban agritech more comfortably.

Q) What is the role of the retailer in the wider adoption of urban agritech approaches? What is the role of the retailer in the wider adoption of urban agritech approaches?

With the retailer, it is a question of scale. There are two ways of doing urban agriculture. There is small scale, hyper-local growing microgreens for a local restaurant or shop, and then at the other end of the scale, you have really big vertical farms in the sort of peri-urban space which you would site next to a distribution center so it can go straight into the logistical distribution for a large retailer. Either way, the goal of any produce grower is to deliver their product to a consumer.

Q) In the UK how do we compare to other countries in our approach to adopting and developing urban agri approaches? Are there other countries or regions we can be learning from?

There are two ends of a scale here. At one end you might see Singapore or China where the drive is coming from central government which dedicates time and money to move it forward. However, the weakness of that is approach that it tends to be a bit heavy on mandating exactly what happens and can become a bit inflexible.  

On the other end of the scale, you have the US free-market approach which is flexible and has a profusion of people looking into the feasibility of this kind of approach. However, the risk here is that if these innovative growing schemes struggle to receive wider support and are only operational in the free market, it becomes very challenging to compete with other, more established, forms of food production.  

I think the challenge in the UK is to figure out a ‘best of both worlds’ approach. If we are going to put public money into this sort of technology, we need to ensure that it allows for flexibility and innovation which the free market is the ideal background for. However, we simultaneously need to support it adequately so innovative forms of agritech can get a foothold before we can start looking at how we use this as part of a wider food system to achieve certain societal goals.

It is trying to find the sweet spot.

“We need to support it adequately… and start looking at how we use this as part of a wider food system to achieve certain societal goals.”

Q) You are also part of the FarmTech Society, which is based in Belgium. How is it working with organisations and governments to move forward greater agricultural and food production methods and approaches?

The FarmTech Society (FTS) is based in Brussels nominally but we have people in Europe and US (www.farmtechsociety.org). It works on three core principles of education, standardisation and policy. It takes a strategic view and looks at the really big questions for agritech. For example, on the standardisation point it has developed a partnership with Global GAP to look at sustainability standards across the industry. In education, it is working on a project with Erasmus Plus to develop an accreditation scheme.

These wider overarching principles are developed at an international level and organisations such as UKUAT look to implement or adapt them at local level. At FTS, we want to create a network of networks. The organisation’s aim is to mirror place-based context in each individual region and feed that up into a wider process through which we can generate discussion and drive policy or industry change to feedback down to the regional level.

“With the FarmTech Society we want to create a network of networks.”

Q) What role does education have to play in furthering the wider adoption of urban agritech?

You could hardly think of a more important thing. We want to be involved at a primary and secondary level and want to be part of STEM adoption. We want to share the wonder of this technology and show kids how food is and can be produced. Green Bronx Machine in New York, a school garden programme which uses urban agriculture to connect pupils with where their food comes from, is an example of where this has been done really well. Beyond schools there are two specific areas of educational development: vocational training or the higher education route. Both are hugely important and as an industry set to expand over time, we will need a workforce of people with demonstrable and certified skills that allow them to operate those technologies. Within higher education the core skills going forward will need to focus on technical, management and strategic level, research or developing new technologies.

It is also vitally important to educate consumers, policymakers, and those in the wider world. This is a very important communications exercise as you ultimately want people to know that these emerging technologies are safe and they can trust them. Beyond that, we want consumers to see the benefits that a better food experience can bring.

For more info go to: https://www.ukuat.org/

GUEST BIO

Mark Horler

Chair of UKUAT

Mark has been involved in the Vertical Farming industry for around eight years. He is the Founder & Chairman of UK Urban AgriTech (UKUAT), bringing together the leading companies, universities and individuals in the UK urban agritech industry. He is also Communications Manager at The FarmTech Society, the Co-Founder of The Soya Project, and does freelance consulting work across the industry.

In his work he has dealt extensively with industry standardisation, sustainability certification, vertical farming education and vertical farming policy. His expertise is in building networks and associations that maximise value for their members, and for the industry as a whole.

Mark’s primary interest is in taking a systemic overview of how vertical farming can be integrated with other systems, to deliver on its promises of regenerative food production and resilient societies.

Article tags: agritech podcast article

Heliospectra And University of Tokyo Partnership To Boost Indoor Tomato Production

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Posted by Brian Sparks

November 11, 2020

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Japan already has approximately 200 lettuce factories using artificial light, and that number is expected to double by 2025. However, to date, plant factories have been unsuccessful in cultivating light-hungry vine crops such as tomatoes in indoor artificial light.

Heliospectra AB, a world leader in intelligent lighting technology for greenhouse and controlled plant growth environments, has formed a collaboration with the Institute for Sustainable Agro-ecosystem Services (ISAS) at the University of Tokyo. In an effort to redefine and unleash the potential of indoor tomato production, this is a joint research project with the University’s Institute for Sustainable Agro-ecosystem Services (ISAS), in collaboration with Associate Professor Wataru Yamori at the Agricultural Biology and Biogeochemistry Group, and Heliospectra Japan.

Not unlike what’s happening in the U.S., the average age of Japanese farmers is increasing, and with younger generations migrating to cities, traditional farming is facing a crisis. This is forcing the country to investigate new ways to produce food. Plant factories are scaling to meet consumer food demand, mainly in vegetable cultivation in both solar and artificial light environments, and the industry is growing. Japan already has approximately 200 lettuce factories using artificial light, and that number is expected to double by 2025. However, to date, plant factories have been unsuccessful in cultivating light-hungry vine crops such as tomatoes in indoor artificial light.

Working together, Heliospectra and ISAS are looking to build a business model for Japan’s plant factories and Plant Factory with Artificial Lighting (PFAL) organizations for indoor tomato cultivation. In the University lab, the professor and his students will be using Heliospectra’s MITRA linear. Designed by growers for growers, MITRA is ideal for high-light crops, with high-intensity light output and electrical efficacy of up to 2.8 µmol/J.

“We are very excited to be a part of this research together with Dr. Yamori and the ISAS at the University of Tokyo. Over the years, Heliospectra has conducted research on light’s effect on tomatoes in indoor facilities with great results,” says Yasuhiro Suzuki, General Manager of Heliospectra Japan. “We now look forward to further expanding our knowledge and developing more effective indoor cultivation of tomatoes for commercial use. We look forward to collaborating with the university and sharing with the world our knowledge of growing tomatoes indoors.”

The collaboration presents an opportunity for growing healthy, nutritious vine crops indoors on a global scale, and it is a strategically important installation for Heliospectra Japan as it builds its local market presence.

Brian Sparks is senior editor of Greenhouse Grower and editor of Greenhouse Grower Technology. See all author stories here.

Introducing Our New Website!

Due to the lockdown we've wound down farm operations for the time being, but we've been using the time to work on a number of exciting developments. 🥁 One of those is a new and improved website, which you can a first look at here!

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Find Out More

We can bring farms to almost any space, including your home and office!  Check out our new Home Farm and Office Farm offerings showcased on our website. You can also find out about how we started out and keep up to date with our blogs and events! 

Click here to explore our new site.

New Partnership Transports Walmart Into The Future

November 10, 2020

This year, retailers had their feet on the accelerator expanding pickup and delivery services so customers can get items they need quickly and safely. In April, Walmart launched Express Delivery and have since scaled it to more than 2,800 stores, reaching more than 65 percent of U.S. households.

"We may be growing delivery options today, but we’re still experimenting with new ways we can use technology to serve customers in the future," said Tom Ward, senior vice president of customer product, Walmart U.S. "This time, we’re cruising over to Scottsdale, AZ, to rev up a new pilot with self-driving car company, Cruise. What’s unique about Cruise is they’re the only self-driving car company to operate an entire fleet of all-electric vehicles powered with 100 percent renewable energy, which supports our road to zero emissions by 2040."

As part of the pilot, which begins early next year, customers can place an order from their local store and have it delivered, contact-free, via one of Cruise’s all-electric self-driving cars. Technology that has the potential to not only save customers time and money but also is helpful to the planet is technology the company said it wants to learn more about.

"You’ve seen us test drive with self-driving cars in the past, and we’re continuing to learn a lot about how they can shape the future of retail," said Ward. "We’re excited to add Cruise to our lineup of autonomous vehicle pilots as we continue to chart a whole new roadmap for retail."

New OEM -Agreement For Shelf-And-Lighting Panels For Industrial Vertical Farming

Danish-based companies Senmatic and LED iBond International have entered a strategic OEM-partnership for delivery of shelves with built-in grow light to advance the industrial vertical farming industry – a production method globally foreseen to gain currency among producers in the future.

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Senmatic and LED iBond International have entered a strategic partnership for OEM delivery of shelves with built-in grow light to be included in Senmatic’s offering of industrial vertical farming solutions. In vertical farming you utilize the cubic meters by planting in layers rather than the square meters, as traditionally done with row upon row of plants and crops.

The new vertical farming shelves are based on LED iBond’s patented lighting fixture, which combines superior cooling characteristics and minimal space requirements with a high carrying capacity.

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Photo by: LED iBond

The strategic partnership between Senmatic and LED iBond is based on Senmatic’s in-depth knowledge of LED grow lights and software solutions for industrial vertical farming and LED iBond’s unique LED technology platform.

- We have more than 40 years of experience with indoor plant production. We will combine LED iBond’s super-slim and energy-efficient shelf-and-lighting panels with our controllers and software to create a multifunctional vertical farming solution with best-in-class growth conditions for industrial indoor horticulture. This new partnership with LED iBond will further contribute to our growth in the vertical farming market, so we are very pleased indeed for this opportunity to join forces with LED iBond, says Mads Nychel, CEO at Senmatic.

The joint vertical farming offering is planned to launch at the end of Q4 2020.

Almost 900.000 Euro Grant For Swegreen's AI-Driven Vertical Farming Project

Swedish AgTech rising star Swegreen, together with research partners RISE and Mälardales University, secures funding from Vinnova, for a 9,1 MSEK (approx. 880.000 euro) project aiming to develop further Swegreens’ platform for AI-driven vertical farming and to evolve a digitalized supply chain from farm to fork.

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The research partners Swegreen, Mälardalen University, and RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, have teamed up together to digitalize the urban farming industry and restructure the urban food industry towards climate neutrality with the help of Artificial Intelligence. The core for the partner’s research is Swegreens’ innovation for hyper-local vertical farming and building connected and circular models for integration of those facilities in host buildings.

The cluster started off earlier this year with the project ‘NeigbourFood’, funded with 2 MSEK by Swedish Innovation Agency Vinnova, to further develop a data-driven monitoring and optimization for precision farming in closed-loop indoor environment for Swegreen’s offer for Farming as a Service FaaS. The clusters' new project, called ‘AIFood’, has now been granted with 9,1 MSEK, corresponding to approx. 1 Million USD, to enhance the local and sustainable food production systems in urban environments with help of digital technologies.

"A data-driven approach on Vertical Farming has been Swegreens’ main focus from day one, and sustainability is embedded in our DNA as a greentech company," Andreas Dahlin, CEO of Swegreen, says. "Hand in hand with our technological development, our concrete collaboration with the leading research and academic institutions of Sweden gives us the upper hand to lead this industry’s development as a spearhead enterprise – and our partnership with RISE and Mälardalen University keeps our position on the edge of the development, globally speaking," Andreas Dahlin continues.

The call ‘AI in the service of the climate’ has been launched by the Swedish Innovation Agency Vinnova to support initiatives that focus on use of Artificial Intelligence for minimizing various industries' climate-negative impact. The agricultural and food sector accounts for 30% of the global GHG emissions, and vertical farming can create urban symbiosis as a key factor for resource efficiency and integration of farming facilities into urban infrastructure for significant global greenhouse gas emission cutback.

The ‘AIFood’ project runs for two years and focuses on a proof of concept for autonomous orchestration of vertical farming facilities modelling, and on development of an AI-based platform for precision farming, integration of vertical farms into host buildings, and autonomous interaction of the production facilities with the after-harvest actors.

Dr. Baran Cürüklü, from Mälardalen University – a vibrant AI development academic center – is the Project Lead for the cluster. "AI can go beyond narrow and specific contributions. In this project, our aim is to demonstrate that complex and intricate systems can be orchestrated by AI, and contribute to rapid transition to a more sustainable agriculture, and even innovative services connecting the whole chain from producer to citizens," says Dr. Baran Cürüklü.

The project has a close collaboration with two other national project platforms as reference groups: Sharing Cities Sweden, a national platform for sharing economy with four testbeds in Stockholm, Umeå, Gothenburg and Lund, and a cluster called Fastighetsdatalabb which focuses on data-related advancement of the real-estate sector.

Dr. Charlie Gullström, senior researcher at RISE, Sweden’s major research institution and head of Sharing Cities Sweden’s Stockholm testbed, plays an indispensable role in this project. She convenes an interdisciplinary climate panel connected to this project including household name researchers who focus on the climate aspect of the project. Dr. Alex Jonsson from RISE is another senior researcher that attends to the needs for the project from a technical perspective.

Dr. Gullström adds: "I believe that urban food production can speed up climate transition because it has the potential to engage citizens in local consumption and circular business models that both reduce food waste and unnecessary transports. AI allows us to explore how to complement existing agricultural systems by actively involving stakeholders in the value chain as a whole. In this way, AIFOOD really points the way to a new green deal." 

Sepehr Mousavi, Chief Innovation Officer of Swegreen remarks: "We are proud of this collaboration with leading Swedish research institutions and researchers and see it as a successful model for how a private entity could collaborate with academia and offer its assets as a research infrastructure for the good of the whole industry, in a planet and prosperity win-win model." 

"This green transformation of the food sector is dependent on empowering factors such as innovation and circularity enhancement, a connectivity-based and data-driven approach through the whole chain; and application of Artificial Intelligence as an exponential enabler. Autonomous control of the vertical farming facilities for maximum resource efficiency, scalability and preciseness of operations is of extreme and fundamental importance for both the industry and our company to move forward," adds Sepehr Mousavi. 

For more information:
Swegreen
Andreas Dahlin, CEO of Swegreen
andreas.dahlin@swegreen.se
www.swegreen.se 

Autogrow Challenges Other Industry Players To Publish APIs

Autogrow is calling for more public APIs (Application Programming Interface), giving increased access for growers to their own data, and fostering faster innovation in the Controlled Environment Agriculture industry. 

“To date, large industry players have not publicly published APIs’, but our argument is that it’s your data - you should be able to do what you want with it,” says Chief Technology Officer Jonathan Morgan. 

“There can be a protectionist approach to development to dissuade people from building their own versions or integrating other products. But you will never keep up with all the customer requests or in the same timeframe as the 15 other companies working on the same improvements in the market. Access equals innovation - simple as that.” 

Autogrow's FarmRoad has launched their public API on a new Developer Portal which is product agnostic and welcomes all industry players. This will allow growers to use the platform to build a ‘best of breed’ solution for their operation, no matter what their current technology providers are.

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“You don’t have to rip and replace your existing technology. You just need to use an API to connect it to FarmRoad and then see all your information in one place. You can also give third parties secure access to specific areas of your information – keeping control of what you want them to see.”  

“As innovation accelerates it creates a unique challenge of being able to centralize all of your data in one place – regardless of the source. We’ve been offering public APIs for over three years and are certainly the leaders when it comes to cloud technology,” notes Mr. Morgan.  

Initially, the FarmRoad Developer Portal will give access to:  

• Measurements: Over 39 different measurement data types related to the environment and crop registration.

• Events: Capturing key events or notes for example pest detection or spray regimes.

• Farms/compartments/sectors: Get the full picture from different areas of the farm. Giving comparative studies, trends or with permission-based access.

“This is just the beginning for what FarmRoad will be able to offer. With API availability, growers will be able to create their own custom applications alongside the work we are doing. It’s a great developer community which can evolve and scale as businesses and the industry changes.”  

• ​For more information on the FarmRoad Developer Portal - https://farmroad.io/developer

• For more information on the API documentation - https://developer.farmroad.io/

• For more information on Yield Prediction by FarmRoad - https://www.farmroad.io/

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11 Nov 2020