Philippines: Cultivating a Hydroponic Revolution with Limited Resources
John Harold Zapata, a 25‑year‑old farmer in Pampanga, transformed a modest backyard project into Plant Habitat, a thriving hydroponic agribusiness. Leveraging recyclable, locally sourced materials, he built cost‑effective greenhouses that produce leafy greens and other crops. The operation has earned accreditation as a Learning Site for Agriculture from the Agricultural Training Institute, positioning it as both a commercial producer and an educational hub. Zapata’s mission extends beyond profit, aiming to teach Filipinos how to grow their own food sustainably.
Creating Contactless Pollination in Vertical Growing
Researchers present an aerial‑manipulator UAV that uses RGB‑D perception and model‑predictive‑path‑integral (MPPI) control to locate and approach flowers in vertical farms, achieving centimeter‑level positioning without touching the bloom. Tests in MuJoCo simulation and a laboratory testbed show stable flight, reliable...
UK Retailer Marks & Spencer Launches Range of Vertically Farmed Salads
Marks & Spencer has introduced three exclusive, vertically‑farm‑grown salad varieties—Citrus Sorrel Baby Leaves, Spicy Baby Leaves and Baby Garlic Kale—available in its Food stores. The indoor farms use precise climate control, robotics and a soil‑free substrate, cutting water use by...
China: Automating Pollination for Growers
China’s agriculture is rapidly shifting to technology‑driven production, with science and tech now accounting for over 64% of output growth. Mechanisation of crop cultivation and harvesting has climbed to 76.7%, while crop‑variety coverage exceeds 96%. In high‑tech greenhouses, the Chinese...
Reach Within and NEWLO Launch Hydroponics Project to Boost Youth Skills and Food Security
Reach Within and the New Life Organization Inc. (NEWLO) have launched the Flex Farm Project, a hydroponic farming initiative funded by the Sandals Foundation with roughly $42,000. The program will install three Fork Farms Flex Farm systems at NEWLO’s training...
Innovation Day Highlights Advanced Automation and Future Pathways for Irish Growers
The Teagasc Horticulture Development Department hosted a Mushroom Innovation Day on May 6 in Dublin, gathering growers, researchers, and tech providers to examine automation and sustainability in Irish mushroom production. Dr. Michael Gaffney highlighted a 78% rise in input costs since...
European Food Trust Rebounds, but Confidence in Sustainability Lags
Consumer confidence in Europe’s food system is rebounding, with the EIT Food report showing farmers now trusted by 68% of respondents in 2025. Retailers and restaurants also improved, reaching 54% and 53% trust respectively, while manufacturers and public authorities remain...
Smart Farming Powers UAE’s Push Towards Food Resilience, Local Output
UAE is accelerating food resilience through smart farming, with companies like Armela Farms deploying AI-driven climate control, robotics, and hydroponic systems. These controlled-environment farms boost yields, cut water usage, and lessen dependence on imports, aligning with the Make it in...
Masymas Supermercados: 4.3% Increase in Revenue in 2025
Masymas Supermercados posted €440.3 million (≈$480 million) in 2025 revenue, a 4.3% rise driven by a 3% volume increase across 115 stores in Spain’s Valencian Community and Murcia. In Europe, SPAR opened its fifth EUROSPAR in Finland’s North Karelia, while Aldi Belgium...
"Silicon Is an Essential Part of Enhancing Plant Vigor"
Impello Biosciences’ Director of Horticulture R&D, Hunter Konchan, argues that silicon should be classified as an essential plant nutrient, not merely a biostimulant. The company’s Dune product supplies stabilized monosilicic acid, the most bioavailable silicon form, enabling faster uptake and...
"Vertical Farms Are Uniquely Positioned to Be a Trusted Local Supplier"
Mighty Harvest runs a 5,500‑square‑foot indoor vertical farm in Ajax, Ontario, delivering pesticide‑free salad greens, herbs and edible flowers to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC). Over the past year the farm has supplied more than 820 lb of greens and...
Brazil Potash Announces Closing of $63.3 Million Public Offering of Common Shares
Brazil Potash closed a $63.3 million underwritten public offering that sold 7 million common shares at $2.50 each and issued pre‑funded warrants for up to 18.3 million shares at $2.499 per warrant. The underwriters also exercised their option to purchase an additional 3.3 million...
"Instead of Showing Data, It Thinks About Your Data"
Ecobloom unveiled EcoSense, an AI‑driven virtual agronomist, at CEAIF 2026. The platform, called I.V.A., fuses multispectral imaging, climate sensors and a 72‑hour weather forecast to move from reactive dashboards to proactive decision‑making. It can spot stress and disease up to ten...
Egypt: Creating a Model for Rooftop Growing
Egyptian agricultural engineer Samir Seif has replaced rooftop container gardens with modular vertical farming towers that stack soil layers within a 60 cm‑wide column. The detachable units can be re‑configured in height, moved on wheeled bases, and even split into separate soil...
Fruit, Vegetables Included in Price Reduction Initiative - Tesco Hungary
Tesco Hungary announced it will keep lowering prices as inflation eases, extending a programme that trims at least 5% off more than 900 items. The price cuts span fresh categories such as fruit, vegetables, dairy, meat, deli and beverages, and...
“The Hands-On Experience Has Been Transformative for All of Us”
Rutgers University’s new Student Basic Needs Center houses Agoraponic Farms, a student‑run hydroponic operation that grows leafy greens on LED‑lit shelves. In its first month the system yields about 10 pounds of produce for roughly 100 students and has donated $4,000...
Rethinking “Sustainable Growing Media” In Greenhouse Production
A forthcoming paper in Frontiers in Horticulture critiques the vague use of “sustainable growing media” in greenhouse production and calls for a rigorous, evidence‑based definition. The authors, led by Dr. Alexander Sentinella, argue that labels such as “peat‑free” are misleading...
Day 1 Agenda Released for the Leafy Hydroponics Summit 2026
The Leafy Hydroponics Summit 2026 released its Day 1 agenda, centering on the complete lifecycle of hydroponic leafy‑greens production. The program targets commercial growers, investors and partners, covering project planning, greenhouse design, LED lighting, automation and value‑chain integration. It also unveils...
VGreens Raises Two Million Euros for AI-Controlled Plant Cultivation
German ag‑tech startup vGreens announced a €2 million (approximately $2.2 million) financing round to expand its AI‑driven, sensor‑based plant cultivation platform. The round features strategic investors such as fruit wholesaler Frutania, equipment maker Dürr, Christ Capital and venture fund Vornvc, alongside existing...
Dutch Lion Completes Lighting Section of Validation Project
Dutch Lion and Vertify have completed the lighting phase of their validation project at the World Horti Center, testing the Moving Tower System (MTSys) that blends natural sunlight with targeted LED illumination. The hybrid approach achieved winter lighting energy use...
AeroFarms Avoids Shutdown
Indoor agriculture firm AeroFarms, which warned of a shutdown at its Pittsylvania County facility, has rescinded its WARN notice and announced it will stay open while seeking a buyer. The company secured short‑term financing, averting layoffs for roughly 120 workers....
"In the Past, the Human Eye Was the Maintenance System"
Infinite Acres, a vertical‑farming arm of 80 Acres Farms, has partnered with sensor specialist SICK to embed the Multi‑Physics Box MPB10 in its climate‑control fans. The MPB10 continuously measures vibration, shock and temperature, feeding early‑warning data into the farm’s IoT...
"Currently, Plants Absorb Less than 10 Percent of the Energy"
Italian deep‑tech startup Minima Energia unveiled its Thermodynamic Farming System (TFS) at Macfrut 2026, promising to halve operating expenses for vertical farms. The system recovers waste heat from LEDs and dehumidification, converting it into 90 °C technical water that powers low‑temperature drying...
High-Tech Mushroom Cultivation with Japanese Technology
Long Khanh Kinoko I.E Co., Ltd. has poured roughly $800,000 into a new, large‑scale enoki and king oyster mushroom farm in Dong Nai, Vietnam, employing advanced Japanese cultivation methods. The facility relies heavily on robotic systems that replace most human...
The OCU Reported that Fresh Produce Prices Increased by 3.22% During April
European retailers are reshaping branding and store formats while fresh‑produce costs climb. The OCU reports Spain’s fruit and vegetable prices rose 3.22% in April, after a 5.78% jump in March, tightening household budgets. In France, Groupe Casino unveiled a new...
InvertiGro Positions Climate-Proof Agriculture as the Future of Food Production
InvertiGro, a South African agri‑tech firm, is championing "climate‑proof agriculture" through modular controlled‑environment farms that deliver year‑round, high‑quality produce regardless of weather. Its systems combine precise lighting, water and nutrient management with proprietary software, enabling growers to scale profitably and...
Simulating a Vertical Farm Collapse Due to Water Overload
A vertical farm installed in a residential attic collapsed after irrigation water and saturated plant biomass exceeded the rack system's structural capacity. Engineers reconstructed the failure using a forensic pipeline that moved from Revit BIM models to Rhino‑Grasshopper parametrics, then...
Greece: Santorini Growers Supply 120 Restaurants on the Island
Kissiras Santorini Microgreens, a family farm founded in 2020, now delivers fresh microgreens, edible flowers and specialty vegetables to more than 120 restaurants across Santorini. The operation grows 32 varieties of microgreens and around 40 edible‑flower types, enabling same‑day cut‑and‑deliver...
"A Light Plan Is More than Just a Simulation"
Mechatronix released a practical guide for growers to objectively compare LED lighting proposals for greenhouses. The guide highlights five critical parameters—crop distance, simulation settings, calculation area, grid density, and uniformity metrics—that must be aligned before evaluating plans. By scrutinizing these...
"The Pendulum Has Swung so Far that People Don't Know What Real Food Looks Like"
Local Leaf Farm opened in a former Chipotle space in Highland Park, Illinois, turning the retail site into a year‑round indoor hydroponic operation. The farm grows 30 microgreen varieties, 13 lettuce types and edible flowers using deep‑water‑culture towers and Agrowtek’s precision...
Pakistan University Holds Training on Mushroom Cultivation
The University of Agriculture, Peshawar’s Office of Research, Innovation and Commercialization partnered with the Plant Pathology Department and Al Furriyaat to host a day‑long workshop and expo titled “Fungi Fiesta, Mushroom & By‑product Expo 2026.” The event featured technical sessions on mushroom...
“We Want to Localize the Way Our City Feeds Itself"
Civic Greens has converted a 3,700‑sq‑ft underground parking space in Toronto into a hydroponic farm that yields about 12,000 heads of lettuce each month. The LED‑lit facility supplies high‑end restaurants, food banks and will soon serve a farmer’s market, offering...
India: Brio Hydroponics Launches High-Yield Model for Large Scale Growers
Brio Hydroponics has introduced a Franchise‑Owned, Company‑operated (FOCO) model that lets high‑net‑worth individuals and institutions invest in large‑scale hydroponic farms. The scheme requires a minimum of 30 acres and roughly ₹5 crore (about $600,000) in capital. Brio handles all agronomy, logistics...
US (OH): Classroom Lettuce Crop Is a Hit with Middle Schoolers
Fort Recovery Middle School in Ohio has turned a science classroom into a mini‑farm, using a hydroponic tower to grow two full life cycles of Green Star and Romaine lettuce. The project, dubbed Fresh for the Fort, was seeded with...
Casino Group's Total Revenue Falls by 2.7%
French retailer Casino reported a 2.7% drop in total revenue to €1.95 bn (≈ $2.13 bn) for the latest quarter, driven by the closure or divestiture of 131 stores. On a comparable‑store basis, revenue was flat, showing a modest 0.3% increase. Adjusted EBITDA...
"The Plant Needs to Be Thought of First"
Trina Semenchuk, founder of Little Greenhouse That Could, is co‑teaching a new CEA Fundamentals course at the University of Manitoba’s Biosystems Engineering department. The curriculum covers system design, equipment selection, financial modeling, plant physiology and growth planning, stressing that the...
"This Is Critical to Scaling Our Operations in a Disciplined and Capital-Efficient Manner"
Oishii is moving from proving its vertical‑farm model in the U.S. to global scaling, leveraging a new strategic partnership with Japan’s MISUMI Group. MISUMI, through its U.S. subsidiary Fictiv, will supply standardized components to turn Oishii’s 237,500‑sq‑ft Amatelas Farm into...
Oman: Students Turn Homes Into Smart Farms with Innovative Hydroponic System
A student‑led startup, Blue Root, has launched a smart hydroponic system that merges fish farming with plant cultivation, turning ordinary homes into compact, self‑operating farms. The unit features real‑time sensors, a cloud‑based dashboard, and 3‑D visual modeling that alerts users...
University of Sheffield Hosts Northern CEA Symposium
University of Sheffield hosted the Northern Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Symposium at The Edge, gathering over 60 participants from 11 universities and nine industry organisations. The one‑day event featured sessions on greenhouse innovation, automation, and sustainable food production, with speakers...
AI Robots Automate Tray Assembly for Fresh Produce Packing
Chef Robotics unveiled an AI‑driven system that automates tray assembly for fresh‑produce packaging. The platform uses computer‑vision‑guided piece‑picking for whole fruits and a weight‑based scooping module for items like corn and peas. It supports three placement strategies—offset, multi‑item, and stacked—to...
India: Provincial Governments Rely on Hydroponics to Fight Against Drought
The DKI Jakarta Provincial Government is rolling out a drought‑mitigation plan ahead of a projected long‑term water shortage in 2026. Officials aim to protect urban food security by shifting away from water‑intensive rice to more resilient crops. The strategy also...
"The Malaysia Digital Status Strengthens Our Ability to Scale Our AI-Powered Farming Solutions"
Agroz Group Sdn. Bhd., the Malaysian arm of Agroz Inc., has been awarded Malaysia Digital (MD) Status by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation. The designation recognizes the company’s AI‑driven AgriTech platform and its contribution to the nation’s digital ecosystem. Agroz...
Klasmann-Deilmann Announces Management Changes
Klasmann‑Deilmann GmbH announced that Managing Director Moritz Böcking will step down on 1 May 2026 after a 15‑year tenure. Jan Astrup, the former COO, will assume the role and will be joined by Damian Ikemann on the Board of Managing Directors. The transition highlights a...
CEAg World Brings Grower-First Focus to Charlotte Event
CEAg World, a grower‑first conference, will convene greenhouse, vertical‑farm and open‑field producers on Nov. 10‑11, 2026 in Charlotte‑Concord, N.C. Hosted by Meister Media Worldwide, the two‑day event replaces a traditional trade show with curated, peer‑driven sessions that emphasize immediate, profit‑boosting solutions. Attendees...
"Using This ‘Crop Grazing’ Technique, Yield Can Be Improved up to 20% Even on a 3rd Flush"
Alan Edwards’ Game Changer mushroom machine automates stalk cutting, punnet placement and weighing, letting pickers work with both hands. The system’s “crop‑grazing” method lets larger mushrooms be harvested first, allowing smaller ones to mature, which can lift yields up to...
Premier Tech Receives 2026 CEAC Mission Award at the University of Arizona
Premier Tech was honored with the 2026 CEAC Mission Award by the Controlled Environment Agriculture Center at the University of Arizona. The award recognizes the company’s sustained contributions to CEAC’s education, research and outreach programs in controlled‑environment agriculture. Dr. Jose Chen Lopez,...
New UK Partnership to Tackle Food Waste and Support London Communities
Fischer Farms has teamed up with London food charity City Harvest to redirect surplus vertical‑farm produce to communities in need. The partnership has already diverted 1.3 tonnes of leafy greens, equating to 3,086 meals and preventing 895 kg of greenhouse‑gas emissions. By...
Crafting Flavor in Hydroponically Grown Lettuce with CRISPR
Researchers used CRISPR/Cas9 to knock out the DFR gene in red‑leaf lettuce, producing a green‑pigmented line without compromising growth. The edited plants lost anthocyanin coloration, while some lines showed a rise in total flavonoids. Metabolite profiling confirmed a sharp drop...
Coop Alleanza 3.0 Reports a 5.3% Rise in Fruit and Vegetable Sales
Italian cooperative retailer Coop Alleanza 3.0 posted a consolidated profit of €38.5 million (about $42 million) for fiscal year 2025, up €20.4 million from the prior year. Total retail sales climbed 2.3% to €5.87 billion ($6.4 billion). Sales of fruit and vegetables jumped 5.3% to €23.3 million ($25.4 million),...
Andhra Pradesh Aims to Become India's Largest Mushroom Producer
The Andhra Pradesh government is preparing a "Mushroom Mission" to make the state India’s top mushroom producer. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has tasked officials with an action plan that will roll out roughly 162,000 small‑scale farms of about 5,000 sq ft...