By Janet Kanters

Wageningen University & Research (WUR) has launched HortINspire, a new international network designed to connect growers, researchers, technology providers, investors and policymakers involved in controlled environment agriculture (CEA).

The network was officially introduced June 10 during GreenTech in Amsterdam and aims to accelerate the exchange of knowledge and practical experience across the protected cultivation sector.

Controlled environment agriculture involves actively managing growing conditions and production processes, including water, energy and labour use, as well as climate control. The approach is used in the production of food crops, flowers and other plants. While expertise in the sector is expanding rapidly around the world, WUR says access to applicable knowledge remains a challenge because solutions often need to be adapted to local climates, technologies, markets and production systems.

HortINspire was created to help bridge that gap by providing a platform where industry stakeholders can connect, share experiences and collaborate on practical solutions.

“It will be a place where growers, companies, knowledge institutions and other parties can find each other, and where valuable collaborations can emerge,” said Jacqueline van Oosten of WUR Greenhouse Horticulture, who initiated the project. “From Wageningen University & Research, we bring in our own knowledge, but the network is explicitly intended to work both ways. We want to share knowledge and learn from experiences and solutions in other regions.”

According to WUR, the network is intended to serve both organizations seeking expertise and those looking to contribute knowledge. It will bring together practical production challenges, scientific research and emerging technologies within the CEA sector.

Members will gain access to an international community focused on controlled environment agriculture and will be able to participate in region-specific thematic sessions, online expert discussions and networking events. An online member portal will also allow participants to ask questions, exchange experiences and share information.

Membership is open to organizations and professionals involved in controlled environment agriculture, with an initial focus on protected cultivation. Eligible participants include growers, technology developers, research institutions, government agencies, consultants and investors.

Van Oosten said bringing together a broad range of stakeholders is essential to turning knowledge into practical results.

“Knowledge about controlled environment agriculture only becomes valuable when it is applied in practice,” she said. “A grower brings different questions to the table than, for example, a government body or investor. By bringing these parties together, HortINspire strengthens collaboration around controlled environment agriculture.”

WUR said the network’s long-term goal is to foster collaboration and innovation that improves sustainability, productivity and efficiency in protected horticulture worldwide.