This interview details OMARFRA, a company based in Canada. The interview is with Fadi Al-Daoud, Greenhouse Vegetable Specialist of OMARFRA.
My role as the Greenhouse Vegetable Specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) is to support vegetable and fruit production in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) systems such as greenhouses and vertical farms. I work with greenhouse and vertical farmers, researchers, and industry to improve the efficiency of these production systems through research and education and training. You can find articles and recorded presentations on our blog (ongreenhousevegetables.ca).
Most of my research is performed on-farm. I collect data from commercial greenhouses and vertical farms in Ontario. Recently, my research has focused on characterizing natural and artificial lighting environments and mapping the microclimates in greenhouses and vertical farms. I have also compared water disinfection systems that are currently used for recirculating fertigation in greenhouses and vertical farms. Furthermore, I have also reviewed the scientific literature on a number of other topics including carbon dioxide enrichment in CEA.
You can find my article on the use of carbon dioxide enrichment in CEA on our blog (Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Enrichment in Controlled Environment Agriculture – Is it always a good idea? – ONGreenhouseVegetables). It outlines the latest research on the benefits and drawbacks of CO2 enrichment in CEA. Overall, CO2 enrichment boosts food production if it is used in the right way.
Greenhouse and vertical farmers can be more energy efficient by monitoring the performance of their equipment on a regular basis. This will ensure that lights and HVAC systems are working at their optimum rate and they are being maintained regularly. Greenhouses and vertical farms should also ensure that their building structures are as energy-efficient as possible. Researchers at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Harrow Research and Development Centre are working on new long-photoperiod low-intensity lighting recipes that can be more energy efficient and require less lighting fixtures than traditional lighting recipes. You can find a recent article that I co-authored on this topic on our blog (Finding the Right Light Recipe – ONGreenhouseVegetables).
You can stay updated on my activities by subscribing to our blog (ongreenhousevegetables.ca).
This interview details SMARTKAS, an Agrotech Solutions Provider based in the Netherlands. The interview is with David Meszaros, Founder & CEO of SMARTKAS. To learn more about SMARTKAS and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!
View Full InterviewThis interview details Delphy, an indoor farming consulting company based in the Netherlands. The interview is with Laura S. Bautista, Project Leader - Vertical Farming at Delphy. To learn more about Delphy and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!
View Full InterviewThis interview details Ceres Greenhouse Solutions, a Residential & Commercial Greenhouse Solutions company based in the United States. The interview is with Christopher Uhlig, CEO / Owner of Ceres Greenhouse Solutions. To learn more about Ceres Greenhouse Solutions and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!
View Full InterviewThis interview details Berlin Farms, an indoor farming company based in Germany. The interview is with Vahik Soghom, Co-Founder of Berlin Farms. To learn more about Berlin Farms and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!
View Full InterviewThis interview details Corvus Drones, a Controlled-environment Agriculture (CEA) technology company based in the Netherlands.. The interview is with Frans-Peter Dechering, CCO & Founder of Corvus Drones. To learn more about Corvus Drones and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!
View Full InterviewThis interview details LED iBond, an intelligent lighting solutions company based in Denmark. The interview is with Martin Løbel, CEO of LED iBond. To learn more about LED iBond and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!
View Full InterviewThis interview details Optima Planta, an indoor farming company based in Sweden. The interview is with Lennart Sör, Founder/CEO of Optima Planta. To learn more about Optima Planta and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!
View Full InterviewThis interview details Lufa Farms, an indoor farming company based in Canada. The interview is with Callie Giaccone, Public Relations Coordinator of Lufa Farms. To learn more about Lufa Farms and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!
View Full InterviewThis interview details MingaGreens, an indoor farming company based in Germany. The interview is with Gernot Kleinberger, Co-Founder of MingaGreens. To learn more about MingaGreens and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!
View Full InterviewThis interview details CAPSERO, an indoor farming technology company based in Switzerland. The interview is with Fabio Cirillo, Founder & CEO of CAPSERO. To learn more about CAPSERO and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!
View Full Interview