Addressing the challenges of vertical farming

Added on 20 June 2023

Tell us about yourself and your role with ARTECHNO Growsystems.

"I was introduced to Artechno's AVF+ technology by Art van Rijn, our founder and president. AVF+ stands for Automated Vertical Farming. The combination of this sustainable high tech cultivation solution, together with the passion for plants excited me immediately! My father was a greenhouse grower, so the love for plants is in my genes.

Before Artechno, I worked for an international vegetable breeding company. It is a great company which also importantly contributes to the world food supply, but at sometimes I missed the leverage I could have on the process and the results. Artechno is a smaller company where you can contribute to the process and quickly see the results. In addition, this is my first managerial position, which I consider a wonderful challenge. So, plenty of benefits, which is why I started working at Artechno on December 1st of 2021.”

What is your vision on the challenges in the world regarding food security and safety, in relation to Vertical Farming?

Automated Vertical Farming can be a great addition to challenges regarding food security and safety, by ensuring the constant supply of fresh vegetables, we are able to provide harsh climate areas produce that otherwise would have been extremely hard/expensive to come by. Vertical Farming avoids having to transport fresh product over long distances, which can cause loss of value of the product in addition to the costs and the environmental impact of transportation.

Also chances of contamination of the crops are set to zero, so all plants grown will result in a steady high quality output of healthy produce.

How can we ensure that Vertical Farming becomes and remains a serious alternative to land and water intensive cultivation methods?

Automated Vertical Farming has definitely potential to become and remain a serious alternative, as Automated Vertical Farming can be placed in any (harsh) outdoor environment. As we all know open field crops are more and more exposed to climate change, destroying crops and reducing quality. You have to take heavy rainfall and severe drought into consideration.