Food security for the world's population is a global mega-issue. From 26 to 28 September 2023, VertiFarm, the unique vertical farming and new food systems show now being held for the second time, will present new concepts and technological developments aimed at enabling sustainable transformation in agriculture. 

Dortmund, 20 September 2023 – The consequences of global warming are increasingly making themselves felt. Heat, drought, heavy rain and storms are already having an omnipresent impact on local agriculture. In addition, the UN shows in its annual report that at least 768 million people were affected by hunger even in 2021. Following the success of the inaugural VertiFarm, Messe Dortmund will be opening its doors once again between 26 and 28 September as a meeting place for knowledgeable experts in the world of next-level farming and new food systems. This informative buyer-meets-seller platform will also offer plenty of space for inspiration, networking and business matchmaking.

Fraunhofer UMSICHT to present new agricultural systems

Oberhausen-based research body the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT will present, among other things, an innovative agricultural system enabling regional production of high-quality food in urban environments. Show-goers will also be able to discover more about the ALMARKTgarten in Oberhausen where an in-building sustainable agricultural production facility complete with cultivation areas for fruit and vegetables was created on the roof of the Job Centre. Using the SUSKULT project as an example, the institute will also be explaining the use of sewage treatment plants as a source of nutrients, enabling the nutrients occurring in sewage treatment plants to be used for closed-cycle cultivation of horticultural products. The presentation of the LightSaver^AI project, for which a working demonstrator has been developed for requirement-led control of plant lighting, will illustrate how AI can create demand-optimised illumination for production systems in indoor farms.

Comprehensive line-up of providers to cover all aspects

In attendance will be businesses such as SANANBIO from China, an alliance of farmers, engineers, scientists, designers and business people supporting agribusiness worldwide with state-of-the-art indoor vertical farming and horticultural lighting technologies. Likewise, ams OSRAM will also be presenting  its best-in-class technologies in the fields of sensors and lighting. SIEMENS will also be showing the latest approaches and technologies associated with crop management, environmental controls, robotics and automation. vGreens Holding, also from Germany, will be explaining various technological innovations for the production of premium fruit and crops. Vertical Future from the United Kingdom will be there with information on new production systems that are in use internationally. Numerous suppliers will also be travelling in from the Netherlands, including Priva Horticulture with innovative highlights ranging from process computers and sensors to cloud-based automation software and Hoogendoorn – a business with over 50 years' experience and a presence in 100+ countries – which will be presenting automation solutions for optimum growth climates. Plant processing and sorting machines will also be on show in Dortmund from TTA, and Bosman van Zaal will be back with its intelligent plant production systems and ventilation and water treatment systems in the food, floriculture and pharmaceutical sectors. Start-ups such as Hortigold from the Netherlands and Farm3 from France will also be contributing their specialist knowledge and offerings.

First-class supporting programme with many great speakers

The three-day stage programme will include educational, partly interactive knowledge modules. Keynote talks and discussion panels featuring experts in agriculture, science, industry and start-up businesses will address the future of food and agriculture as it goes through this period of transition. The following four big-name expert presentations on stage in Hall 4, for example, are eagerly awaited:

'Controlled environment agriculture – Setting the next step'

Speaker: Sabine Cecere,

Account Manager, Digital Industries for Food & Beverage / New Food at Siemens AG

'Vertical Farming: Profitable or not? – It depends on the Use Case'

Speaker: Johann Waldherr,

Business Development Manager, Electronic Power & Lighting Solutions at Würth Elektronik eiSos GmbH & Co KG

'Enabling the human grower with smart tech'

Speaker: Luis Trujillo,

President & General Manager, Hoogendoorn USA

Martin Van Tol,

LetsGrow.com

'Getting your produce to retail - the secret of long-term partnerships'

Speaker: Wannes Voorend,

R&D Coordinator in Energy, Environment and Biotech at Colruyt Group

>>> Overview of the supporting programme

7^th International Summit of the Association for Vertical Farming e.V.

As last year, the two-day summit of the show's conceptual sponsor, the Association for Vertical Farming, will be held once again as part of the show. This convention organised by the world's leading non-profit organisation in its field will see well-known scientists joining investors and representatives from industry and government on 26 and 27 September 2023 to discuss and inform audiences on the core subject areas of: 'Science & Research', 'Technology & Sustainability' and 'Food & Cities'.

>>> AVF SUMMIT

Online ticket shop

Trade show tickets, access to the AVF Summit and the excursion through the Netherlands followed by a visit to VertiFarm can be booked conveniently online.

>>>Ticket options