"Have you ever wondered what the world might look like if world hunger simply disappeared?" Alexander Jaworski, CEO of greenhub solutions GmbH asks early in his recent TEDx talk. While urban abundance in places like Houston can create the illusion that hunger is a thing of the past, the reality is very different. "More than 700 million people still go hungry every single day," he reminds us, while modern agriculture continues to strain the environment—consuming 70% of global freshwater and degrading essential soils.
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Who will feed the future?
But this isn't just about producing more food. It's also about who is going to produce it. "In the European Union and the US, the average farmer is 58 years old, with one third over the age of 65," Alexander explains. Japan's average is even higher - nearly 69 years.
Meanwhile, fewer and fewer young people are choosing careers in agriculture. And this trend extends beyond traditional farming to indoor farming as well.
The reasons are clear: outdated farming models still dominate public perception—physically demanding work, financial risk, and rural isolation. "Our generation is passionate about sustainability, technology, and making an impact," Alexander argues. "The disconnect is how we've been farming."
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Bridging the gap: Matching needs and new professions
For years, the industry believed the solution lay in full automation—tech would simply replace people. "From an engineering standpoint, vertical farms were a leap forward: modular, automated, and urban. They proved we could build food systems right next to consumers."
But here's the catch: we're still farming—not manufacturing
According to Alexander, the next phase of development must be plant-centric, not just tech-centric. That means honoring and integrating the deep, practical knowledge of today's growers. "We need to capture their insights—on which experiments to run, how to improve yields, or adapt to local conditions. This is vital for turning vertical farms into viable, scalable food systems."
He elaborates that this is where the magic happens. "Today's experienced growers can mentor tomorrow's tech-savvy ones—data scientists, software developers, and engineers—who may not come from agricultural backgrounds but bring new energy, perspectives, and skills into the field."
Vertical farming allows these young professionals to live in urban areas while contributing meaningfully to their communities. Together, they can build business cases, operate farms, and supply fresh greens to local restaurants, supermarkets, and cafes—supporting a resilient, decentralized food network. Scaling this to wholesale levels will take time, but the foundation is being laid now—with people at its heart.
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Attracting a new generation of farmers
What excites him most, however, is not just the where or what of vertical farming—it's the who. "Vertical farming doesn't only reinvent where we grow our food, it completely transforms who gets to be a farmer." With a need for skilled farm managers, plant scientists, engineers, and software developers, agriculture is becoming an attractive career path for tech-savvy youth.
"For the first time in history, food production is no longer limited to geography, water, or soil," he says. And that shift has deep societal implications. "Farming can finally happen wherever people live. Here in Dresden, in Berlin, in Tokyo, in Nairobi."
Feeding ourselves more sustainably
The conversation about food, he argues, must also include what kind of food we grow. Citing the 2019 EAT-Lancet Commission report, he advocates for the "planetary health diet"—a predominantly plant-based diet with an emphasis on fresh greens, vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, and whole grains. "Vertical farming is exceptionally good at producing the left side of this plate," he says.
"This is not about replacing traditional agriculture," he concludes. "This is about complementing it with smarter, more sustainable systems," if we operate them with renewable energies.
For more information:
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Greenhub Solutions GmbH
Alexander Jaworski, Chief Operating Officer
alexander.jaworski@greenhub.eu
Isabelle van Doorn, Business Development Manager
isabelle.vandoorn@greenhub.eu
www.greenhub.eu