On September 2-3, 2021, the fifth "International Vertical Farming & New Food Systems Conference" will take place in Munich. After Beijing, Washington, Amsterdam and Oslo, the conference will this year be held at its founding location.
The Association for Vertical Farming e.V. (AVF) is organizing the international industry meeting together with the Bavarian State Ministries for Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy as well as for Food, Agriculture and Forestry.
Knowledge sharing
International experts from industry and research will present current trends and latest technical developments of vertical farming. Vertical farming and indoor farming is the cultivation of plants, independent of soil, in closed environments, in several layers on top of each other with automated lighting, watering and controlled air conditioning.
The aim of the AVF Summit is to share scientific findings, new technological developments and economics in order to drive research and industry forward as an international community. Exchange and transparency are thus the focus.
The unavoidable pain points of vertical farming - primarily the energy supply - and innovative solutions for a more sustainable implementation will also play a role in Munich. The initiators of the Summit and the speakers are interested in showing the global dimension of a new industry in Bavaria. The common cause is to approach scientific and technological challenges collaboratively and to exchange knowledge.
The relevance of the conference is reflected in its renowned guests and speakers from around the globe. The opening remarks will be shared by AVF Chairwoman Christine Zimmermann-Lössl, Bavarian State Minister Hubert Aiwanger and his counterpart Michaela Kaniber, as well as the President of the Bavarian Farmers' Association Walter Heidl.
Bavaria is welcoming vertical farming
In his opening address, Minister of State Hubert Aiwanger emphasized: "Many research projects and start-ups are currently emerging in vertical farming. Bavaria is promoting this trend as part of its bioeconomy strategy. I see great opportunities here to position ourselves at the forefront of a new industry with innovative technologies and processes."
He said that vertical and indoor farming can do much to improve the degree of self-sufficiency of developing and emerging countries, and also hold future potential for alternative production processes. That is why there are promising approaches for large tech companies as well as start-ups in Bavaria to develop value chains and market them internationally. Bavaria is already doing a lot in know-how for high-tech and agricultural sciences.
"Both are being put to use here. With sensor and control technologies, plant cultivation is largely automated. Another advantage is independence from weather and season. Finally, if even taste and vitamin content are positively influenced, the door is wide open for a building block of the food supply of the future," he added.
Opportunities ahead
Agriculture Minister Michaela Kaniber explains the opportunities offered by the new cultivation method: "The new cultivation system offers our domestic producers opportunities to supply consumers with locally grown fresh vegetables, herbs and medicinal and spice plants all year round. With practice-oriented research, we want to investigate the cultivation system even more closely in the future."
Michaela noted that their State Institute for Viticulture and Horticulture will work with practitioners to investigate how profitable and sustainable. Especially in terms of energy consumption - cultivation is and what products consumers want from Bavarian indoor farms. In this way, we ensure that our Bavarian farms are directly involved in the transfer to practice."
AVF Chairwoman Christine Zimmermann-Lössl: "Vertical farming will be an indispensable pillar in food production to mitigate the effects of climate catastrophe and enable more local food supply."
Max Lössl: "I am driven by our collective responsibility for the environment. Because only together we can create the ground for a healthy sustainable future for both people and our planet. Our time to act is now."
Association for Vertical Farming