DLG and AVF partner to promote vertical farming

Joint platforms for knowledge exchange as well as an industry network for vertical farming will be created. Common projects are to further foster this relationship.

Promote vertical farming

AVF’s goal is to promote sustainable growth and development within the international indoor farming industry and community, says Christine Zimmermann-Lössl, Chairwoman of the AVF. The AVF promotes this through research projects, co-operations, events and the establishment of a network of companies, experts and research institutions that is actively involved in the vertical farming industry.

Also read: What is the cost of vertical farming?

“With the DLG as an internationally active professional organisation and organiser of trade fairs and conferences, we are gaining a partner that reinforces the contents and strategies of vertical farming in international agricultural networks and promotes new platforms and channels of professional communication with agricultural practitioners,” says Zimmermann-Lössl.

According to Tobias Eichberg, Managing Director of DLG’s Exhibitions Department, the production of plant-based foods in urban areas represents a global growth market. “In Asia in particular, where urbanisation is progressing faster and more intensively than in Europe, such farms are already economically viable.”

Vertical farming practices in their infancy

Eichberg says in Europe, especially in Germany, vertical farming practices are still in their infancy. “However, Germany is at the forefront of research and is accompanying the trend toward indoor production of specialty crops away from agricultural land. After all, the latter is limited and continues to decline through alternative use. The DLG, together with its professional partner the Association for Vertical Farming, needs to focus on the future.”

Also read: Vertical farming sector struggles with costs

Surveys among farmers

In addition to creating platforms and networks for joint exchange, one strategic area of the cooperation will be to produce regular technical publications and conduct surveys among farmers on current knowledge as well as their perspectives on indoor and vertical farming.

DLG and AVF also plan to jointly develop events as part of existing and new projects. These include the Agritechnica Asia and Horti Asia events in Bangkok, Thailand, the International Vertical Farming & Food System Conference in Munich, Germany, as well as other new digital and in-person event formats.

First joint event planned

As part of Agritechnica Asia/Horti Asia digital talks, a first joint AVF and DLG event on “Trends and challenges for Indoor Farming in Asia” is planned for July 29.