A meeting held in March at Christ University, Bengaluru, has laid the groundwork for a new collaboration between Indian academic and agricultural stakeholders and Swedish Herbal Institute AB (SHI), a Sweden-based organisation specialising in herbal medicines and plant-based healthcare products.
The visit was facilitated by Dharmendra Rai, Country Director for the Association for Vertical Farming e.V. (AVF) in Germany, who also serves as Country Director representing Growpipes AB, a Swedish company. Rai connected the university with Daniel Tornbrink, CEO of Swedish Herbal Institute AB, whose trip to India centred on identifying opportunities for cooperation across the agricultural sector, including with farmers, educational institutions, and research organizations.
© Christ University
GACP alignment and farmer training
The collaboration is focused on the cultivation of medicinal plants, with a particular emphasis on helping Indian farmers meet European standards for Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACP). GACP compliance is a prerequisite for accessing European markets, covering everything from cultivation methods and harvesting conditions to post-harvest handling and traceability.
"This collaboration also seeks to support the development of skill-based training programs for farmers through educational institutions, creating greater awareness of international requirements," says Christ University. "The program highlighted the importance of connecting farmers, academia, and industry to create a sustainable value chain for medicinal plants," the university adds, noting the initiative aims to improve raw material quality and export potential for Indian growers.
© Christ University
CEA development on the horizon
Beyond medicinal plant cultivation, the partners have signalled an intention to explore the development of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) systems at Christ University. For medicinal plant production, controlled environments offer particular advantages: consistent temperature, humidity, and light conditions support the stability of active compounds, which is directly relevant to meeting GACP standards.
Rai is credited with facilitating Tornbrink's visit and bringing the opportunity to the university's program on Sustainable Agriculture Development. "Through this initiative, we will explore possibilities for developing Controlled Environment Agriculture systems at Christ University," the university says, adding that the meeting is expected to open avenues for academic cooperation and bilateral programs between educational institutions in India and Sweden.
For more information:
AVF Asia Forum 2026
Dharmendra Rai, Country Director
[email protected]
www.avf-asiaforum.org
