With a clear focus on the future of food production, exhibitors at the "Inhouse Farming - Feed & Food Show" from 12 to 15 November 2024 will be focusing on the combination of advanced agricultural technologies and renewable energy. Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), the technology-based approach for indoor and vertical farming, is at the heart of the B2B platform organized by the DLG (German Agricultural Society). CEA has the potential to make global value chains more climate-resilient, sustainable and efficient. In addition to indoor food and feed systems, solutions for aquaculture, algae and insect farming will be presented. EuroTier, the world's leading trade fair for professional animal farming and livestock management, and EnergyDecentral, the leading international platform for the decentralised supply of energy, will take place in parallel at the exhibition grounds.
Whether it's lettuce, herbs, microgreens, or sprouts: Self-contained, closed agricultural systems are increasingly being employed around the world to supply healthy food. As there is no extensive agricultural production in cities, there is a high demand for constant availability of agricultural products coupled with an equally high demands on product quality. "The technologies and processes of indoor and vertical farming offer a promising approach for supplementing traditional agricultural systems," says Prof Nils Borchard, Head of Research and Development at the DLG (German Agricultural Society). The crops are cultivated under controlled environmental conditions, which means that productivity per unit area can be increased many times over. "This not only has economic benefits, but also environmental ones, such as reducing fertilizer and water consumption, decreasing or even eliminating the use of pesticides and shortening supply chains. However, high investments in technology and the considerable consumption of energy must also be taken into account," says Borchard.
Exposure and nutrient mix as required
Vertical farms can be located anywhere: In the driest regions of the world or in the center of large cities. Located in high-tech containers, the indoor farms enable the year-round, reliable cultivation of plants that are generally used as healthy food, but are also used as animal feed. However, the processes and products must also be practicable in terms of economic efficiency. Ideally, material cycles should be closed in order to minimize process-related environmental impacts and the energy required should come from renewable sources. This year's "Inhouse Farming - Feed & Food Show" provides a detailed overview of the cultivation and production systems of the future and presents promising inhouse farming concepts based on hydroponics, aeroponics and fogponics.
Read more at thenewsmarket.com