Based at Pershore College, a centre of horticulture excellence, the GrowAgri Worcestershire project is backed by the European Regional Development Fund and tasked with supporting the development of technology for use in the horticultural and agricultural industries.
Located in one of the UK’s horticultural heartlands, the Vale of Evesham, the project is headed up by Professor Roy Kennedy of the college’s Agri-Tech Research Centre. In its futuristic facilities, which include an indoor hydroponic plant-growth chamber and an outdoor vertical farm, tomorrow’s technology is already being road-tested.
“A unique combination of diverse soils and temperate climate means that Britain has some of the best growing conditions for fruit, vegetable and ornamental crops in the world,” says Professor Kennedy. "However, the country’s self-sufficiency in food has declined over the last 30 years and the Government acknowledges that climate change will present significant risks to our food supply. We need to adopt new food production technology that can provide sustainable food production systems.”
Discussing what’s next for agri-tech
Prior to the national lockdown, the GrowAgri project delivered a range of expert seminars and technical demonstrations on industry hot topics such as the use of drone technology in agriculture, the latest in hydroponics and the benefits of vertical farming systems.
Those attending heard academics and industry specialists from various sectors talk about the impact food production has on greenhouse gas emissions and how emerging technologies can combat this – as well as seeing the innovative growing facilities at the Agri-Tech Research Centre in action.
Marco Lizzul from Varicon Aqua, a producer of algae photobioreactors and aquaculture production systems, found the vertical farming seminar incredibly informative and appreciated the opportunity to network with businesses within the sector.
Read the complete article at www.hortweek.com.