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 Tal-Kampanjol, an aquaponics farm based in Malta. The interview is with Pierre Axiaq, owner and farmer at Tal-Kampanjol. To learn more about Tal-Kampanjol and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!
View Full InterviewThis interview details Seasony, a company based in Denmark. The interview is with Dan Nielsen, Head of Strategy at Seasony. To learn more about Seasony and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!
View Full InterviewThis interview details Meissner AG, a company based in Germany. The interview is with Tom Bastian, Key Account Manager at Meissner AG. To learn more about Meissner AG and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!
View Full InterviewThis interview details Mycopia, an indoor farming company based in the United States. The interview is with David Law, Owner of Mycopia. To learn more about Mycopia and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!
View Full InterviewThis interview details adi Projects, a company based in the UK. The interview is with Ian Hart, Business Development Director at adi Projects. To learn more about adi Projects and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!
View Full InterviewThis interview details The Circle, an indoor farming company based in Italy. The interview is with Thomas Marino, Co-Founder - Chief Strategy Marketing and Sales Officer at The Circle. To learn more about The Circle and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!
View Full InterviewThis interview details Vertigo Technologies, a company based in The Netherlands. The interview is with Luca Galatro, Ph.D., CEO and Co-Founder of Vertigo Technologies. To learn more about Vertigo Technologies and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!
View Full InterviewThis interview details Hydrosome Labs, a company based in the United States. The interview is with Nick Jackowetz, SVP, Principal Scientist at Hydrosome Labs. To learn more about Hydrosome Labs and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!
View Full InterviewThis interview details JASA, a Packaging Solutions Company based in the Netherlands. The interview is with Joost Somford, CCO of JASA. To learn more about JASA and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!
View Full InterviewThis interview details Ketos, an indoor farming technology company based in the United States. The interview is with Meena Sankaran, CEO and Founder of Ketos. To learn more about Ketos and other indoor farming companies, click on this link!
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