The concepts of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), Vertical Farming and New Food Systems have become global topics of the future and dynamically developing markets. In times of climate change and increasingly frequent extreme weather phenomena, the aim of controlled environment agriculture is to find innovative solutions to global challenges such as food security, resource scarcity and population growth. “Global Food Challenges: Vertical Farming as a Catalyst for Innovation & Climate Action” is therefore the title of the 9th AFV Summit in Munich on 3 and 4 September, which the Association for Vertical Farming e.V. (AVF) is organizing together with Messe Dortmund as a kind of spin-off of the VertiFarm trade show.
Dortmund – Since 2022, VertiFarm has provided this socially relevant topic with an exclusive platform for the essential exchange of knowledge and the presentation and discussion of innovations. This year, the focus is even more on the professional exchange between the individual players in this industry. Networking, knowledge exchange and knowledge acquisition are indispensable factors in the further development of this industry. This is because the industry is facing major challenges, which are primarily related to the lack of scalability due to high energy costs. The first steps in transforming innovative ideas into viable business models are particularly time-consuming and costly where complex technologies are used, such as in vertical farming.
The conference, which has already taken place as part of VertiFarm over the past three years, aims to establish vertical farming and its technologies as part of sustainable agriculture. The aim is to develop a joint action plan that will lead vertical farming successfully into the next decade. To this end, global players from business, science and politics will meet in Munich, the home of the AVF, to promote innovation and expand international networks. At the same time, the conference will facilitate the transfer of knowledge between international pioneers and regional players, between big players and young start-ups. The Association for Vertical Farming e.V. is the world’s leading non-profit organization for raising awareness and networking among all stakeholders to further promote vertical farming.
Messe Dortmund will continue to send out a clear signal for vertical farming and new food systems in the future and is strongly committed to this important issue. This is the key to feeding the world’s population sustainably and securely. It is about creating alternatives in the face of the global challenges facing agriculture. “Companies – whether start-ups or big players – that have dedicated themselves to this major and important task not only deserve our utmost respect. Above all, they deserve all the support they can get,” explains Angelika Bauer, Head of Trade Fair and Exhibition Services at Messe Dortmund, the organizer of VertiFarm. “The AVF Summit offers a unique opportunity for this in a highly qualified professional environment. It is intended to offer the various industry players an exclusive and protected space for the important and indispensable exchange and networking with each other. It is therefore a matter of course for us to support and promote the event.”
The first key topics for the Summit’s specialist programme have also already been determined. These are:
International perspectives
This is about global trends, strategies and success stories in vertical farming.
Vertical Farming – a catalyst for climate action
How does vertical farming contribute to sustainability, climate resilience and carbon reduction?
Innovative food production and investment
This pillar will address trends, challenges and breakthroughs in sustainable food production.
Cities as innovation hubs for sustainable agriculture
Cities are at the heart of global food systems. This pillar examines how urban agriculture and vertical farming can be integrated into sustainable and resilient urban environments.
Start-up Challenge
This competition puts ten promising start-ups in the spotlight and gives them the opportunity to showcase their ideas to a jury of industry leaders, investors and international organizations.
Science and technology as a driver for innovation
Here, the latest information on leading research and technology from the fields of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) and Vertical Farming will be presented.
Top-class speakers already confirmed
The AVF Summit brings together experts, entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, politicians and other interest groups in one place. Top-class speakers have already confirmed their participation in this year’s event. This underlines the relevance of the event for the industry. Alexander Jaworski, co-founder and CEO of greenhub solutions GmbH, will be one of the speakers. The Leipzig-based company develops automated indoor farming solutions for the agricultural sector. The innovative, data-driven tools enable precise control, real-time monitoring and comprehensive analyses and help to achieve optimum resource efficiency and productivity. Marc Juárez Nicolau, Technical and Marketing Manager Europe at Seoul Semiconductor Europe GmbH, one of the largest LED manufacturers in the world, and Michal Slota, Marketing Manager at Nando UAB, a biotechnology company from Lithuania that develops and manufactures microbiological products and chemical additives with high added value for agriculture and industry, have also confirmed their attendance. Prof. Dr. Silvana Nicola from the University of Turin is coming from Italy. Among other things, she is an honorary member of the International Society for Horticultural Science. She is a professor at the University of Turin and other universities, specializing in vegetable crops, medicinal and aromatic plants and production chains.
Of course, members of the Association for Vertical Farming will also be sharing their expertise with Summit participants. For example, Vice Chairman Prof. Joel Cuello, Ph.D., Professor of Biosystems Engineering and Director of the BioImagineering Laboratory at the University of Arizona, and of course Christine Zimmermann-Lössl, AVF Chairwoman and for many years committed to vertical farming at national and international level with vision and passion.
Christine Zimmermann-Lössl explains about the 9th AVF Summit – powered by VertiFarm: “The theme of the 9th AVF Summit ‘Global Food Challenges: Vertical Farming as a Catalyst for Innovation & Climate Action’ gets to the heart of our efforts to understand vertical farming as part of existing agriculture and food production and to recognize the outstanding role of a climate-independent production method in times of the growing climate crisis. As a still young industry, we face the challenge of establishing economically successful and sustainable production facilities and I believe that this can only be achieved through more cooperation and transparency. This is exactly what the AVF Summit is ideally suited for, as it has been an internationally recognized leader in science and industry for over ten years.”
The 9th AVF Summit – powered by VertiFarm will take place at the H4 Hotel München Messe. The ticket shop is already open. More information can be found on the website.
All key information, updates and developments concerning the show can be found 24/7 on the show’s webseite, LinkedIn, Instagram , Facebook and via newsletter.
SUMMIT AT A GLANCE
9th AVF SUMMIT – POWERED BY VERTIFARMWith VertiFarm, Messe Dortmund has been bringing together knowledge, technology, development and networking at one of Germany’s most important logistics locations since 2022. The aim is to present new technologies, complex automation and vertical farming methods. The topic of vertical farming is complemented by the latest developments in the areas of New Food and Controlled Environment Agriculture.
The ideal sponsor of VertiFarm is the Association for Vertical Farming (AVF), which has held its annual summit at the trade fair since its inception. This year, Messe Dortmund and the AVF have joined forces to organize the 9th AVF Summit in an exclusive setting. The aim: to promote exchange and networking among the various industry players in order to find solutions to the biggest challenges facing this still young industry and to strengthen the sector in the long term.
