Within the Fieldlab Vertical Farming, a consortium of companies and knowledge institutions is working on developing effective cultivation techniques and building solid business cases. Until last summer, Douwe-Frits served as project leader for the Fieldlab, as well as for projects such as Agrologistics. He recently wrapped up his work at Greenport West-Holland, and his role has now been passed on to others. "There's a large market for vertical farming," he says in conversation with Greenport West-Holland.
Douwe-Frits is quick to praise Growy for the role they have played in the Fieldlab, which for a time was without a project leader. "The Fieldlab Vertical Farming had just completed its first phase. It was like a train that had suddenly come to a stop. But then a lot happened. A voucher scheme was introduced for SMEs that want to benefit from the Fieldlab partners' knowledge, and a new partner came on board: Growy. That company really brought the momentum needed to get the train moving again."
The second phase of the Fieldlab will continue until the end of 2026, with the aim of creating a lasting collaboration. "I'm optimistic about that," says Douwe-Frits. "The partners involved are highly committed and share the same goals. Vertical farming is still very much an emerging technology. Not in the way many once imagined, as a complete replacement for existing cultivation methods, but as a valuable tool in areas like young plant production. It also works well alongside other cultivation systems. That's why the market potential for vertical farming is so significant."
Source: Greenport West-Holland
