EN E-002230/2021
Answer given by Mr Wojciechowski on behalf of the European Commission (18.6.2021)
The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) have been providing financial support to initiatives of vertical farming implemented in the Member States that include the creation of the infrastructure necessary and the development and analysis of the business model1. Support to these activities would also be possible under the next programing period 2021-2027, but the concrete measures included in these programmes will be defined by the Member States. In addition, several initiatives have been launched in the EU with the participation of private investors2.
Vertical farming has been studied in the framework of several research and development projects funded under previous research programmes. Support to research and innovation in the agricultural sector will continue under the future Horizon Europe Programme. Specific projects dealing with this subject are INFARM3 and PLOUTOS4.
These projects analysed both the implementation of vertical farming in protected environments (i.e. greenhouses) with a wide range of sophistication degree, from the use of passive ventilation systems and natural illumination, to fully controlled environments with artificial illumination and water supply. Some innovative ideas evaluated in these projects are also the potential installation of production systems in existing structures like building facades and roofs.
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1
GROWx 2.0 Robotic Vertical Farm:
https://www.ams-institute.org/urban-challenges/metropolitan-food-systems/growx-20-robotic-vertical-farm/
Robbes Lilla Tädgård.
https://enrd.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/tg4_rural-businesses_event-summary_0.pdf
Using hydroponics to produce green fodder on the Canary Islands:
https://enrd.ec.europa.eu/sites/default/files/project/attachments/gp_es_greenfodderproduction_web_fin_0.pdf
2
Agricool – Local, healthy, sustainable
3
The vertical farming revolution, urban Farming as a Service. | INFARM Project | H2020 | CORDIS | European Commission (europa.eu)
4
© European Union, 2021 – EP
Source: Answer to a written question – Developing vertical farming – E-002230/2021(ASW)