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Vertical farming: a sustainable revolution in urban centers

MABEWO - Vertical Farming Agritechnica

MABEWO and the success story of AGRITECHNICA 2023. Pioneering work in the age of green productivity.

AGRITECHNICA in Hanover opened its doors once again in November this year and presented an impressive range of innovations in the field of agricultural technology. Among the 2,812 exhibitors from 52 countries, the Swiss company MABEWO also shone, attracting attention with pioneering solutions for agriculture. The trade fair reached a milestone this year by organizing the „Inhouse Farming – Feed & Food Show“ for the first time, a platform dedicated in particular to the agricultural and food technology systems of the future. The challenges of modern agriculture are diverse and complex. In a world increasingly characterized by extreme weather events, urbanization and rapid population growth, innovative solutions must be found to make food production sustainable while minimizing the ecological impact. One such innovative solution is vertical farming, a method that makes it possible to grow food efficiently and in a way that conserves resources.

History of vertical farming

The idea of vertical farming is by no means new. As early as 1915, Gilbert Ellis Bailey described the concept of growing plants without soil in controlled environments in his book „Vertical Farming“. However, it was only with the challenges of space travel and the search for ways to grow plants under extreme conditions that the concept gained momentum. An important milestone was the consumption of the first lettuce grown in space in 2015, an event that inspired the transfer of the concept back to Earth.

MABEWO relies on controlled environment agriculture

AGRITECHNICA 2023 not only set new standards, but also impressively underlined the potential of agricultural technology and how international agriculture can benefit from it to the maximum. With over 470,000 visitors from 149 countries, the world’s leading trade fair for agricultural technology attracted a record number of visitors. The MABEWO Group has a success story to tell at Agritechnica 2023. The company not only made valuable connections, but also sparked enthusiasm among visitors. A particular highlight was the container solution for the indoor cultivation of barley grass, which attracted a lot of attention. It was not only livestock breeders who enjoyed this fresh grass, which was popular with everyone from capercaillie to goats. Martin Hochuli, COO of MABEWO, explains that thanks to its abundance of vitamins and healthy minerals, barley grass has even achieved the status of a „superfood“ and has risen to the status of a dietary supplement.

The MABEWO presentation at the trade fair reflected the central theme of the fair: Controlled Environment Agriculture, a concept that aims to ensure global food security through innovative agricultural production systems. In this context, the „Inhouse Farming – Feed & Food Show“ proved to be a pioneering platform where the challenges and opportunities in the field of agricultural and food production were jointly shaped. The MABEWO Group not only contributed to the success of the trade fair, but also showed that it is actively shaping the future of agriculture. 

Advantages of vertical farming

Vertical farming offers numerous advantages that make it a forward-looking alternative in the agricultural sector. One key aspect is resource efficiency: compared to conventional farming, vertical farming requires considerably less water and fertilizer, which is of enormous relevance, especially in urban areas where resources are scarce.

Another crucial aspect is the year-round production of plants in controlled environments, regardless of the restrictions of traditional growing seasons. This not only enables an increase in productivity, but also the production of high-quality products. Environmental friendliness also plays a key role: vertical farming makes a significant contribution to reducing the environmental impact by reducing transportation and eliminating the need for pesticides. In addition, precisely controlled nutrient supply opens up new perspectives for a healthier and more sustainable diet.

These aspects of vertical farming, combined with the technological innovations of companies such as MABEWO, illustrate how sustainable methods not only help to increase efficiency in food production, but also provide an answer to some of the most pressing issues of our time: the sustainable use of resources, reducing environmental impact and ensuring food security for a growing world population.

The role of MABEWO in vertical farming

MABEWO plays a key role in this context. As a leading technology company, MABEWO combines protected outdoor cultivation and indoor farming with renewable energies. The challenge for farmers is to create closed cycles. The integration of agri-solar for energy production, together with the cultivation of special crops or the conversion of empty pigsties into indoor farms, could be a promising solution.

Jörg Trübl, CEO and environmental engineer at MABEWO, emphasizes the importance of this combination of arable farming and photovoltaics – not only for more efficient land use, but also for reducing the use of pesticides and protecting the soil from erosion, which in turn leads to an increase in yield. MABEWO shows how technological innovations and sustainable methods in vertical farming not only increase the efficiency of food production, but also provide answers to the pressing issues of our time: sustainable use of resources, reduction of environmental pollution and food security for a growing world population.

Author: Maximilian Bausch – Blogger

Maximilian is keen on automation as a tool for simplifying work. Further development is his passion. Nothing works without automation, neither industry, trade nor services. Generations X, Y and Z are completely digitalized and the future is reshaping itself – boundaries are disappearing.

Contact:   

MABEWO AG  
Chli Ebnet 3
CH-6403 Küssnacht/Rigi  
Switzerland   
T +41 41 817 72 00 
info@mabewo.com

Represented by Mr. Jörg Trübl

MABEWO stands for sustainability. „Make a better world“ invests in the future and develops innovative technologies to solve the biggest challenges of our time: Climate protection, energy transition, resource conservation and food supply. Mr. Jörg Trübl is a trained environmental engineer and has over 20 years of practical business experience in corporate management as a consultant, coach and CEO of SMEs in Europe. Further information can be found at: https://www.mabewo.com/

Press contact:  

MABEWO AG
Andreas Engel  
Chli Ebnet 3
CH-6403 Küssnacht/Rigi 
Switzerland 
T +41 41 817 72 00
presse@mabewo.com

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