Wageningen University has launched a new membership network for those working in controlled and protected horticulture to share best practice and the latest research from around the world
A new international network for growers and stakeholders working in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) will help share knowledge and best practice as research in the sector develops rapidly.
The new group, named HortINspire and set up by Wageningen University and Research (WUR), will be officially launched at GreenTech in Amsterdam next week (10 June).
It aims to bring together growers, companies, researchers and other experts to better apply the latest research and practical applications to protected horticulture.
“It will be a place where growers, companies, knowledge institutions and other parties can find each other, and where valuable collaborations can emerge,” said initiator Jacqueline van Oosten, of WUR Greenhouse Horticulture.
“From Wageningen University and 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,” she continued.
Members can take part in region-specific sessions, online expert sessions and networking events, while an online portal will encourage questions and exchange of experiences.
“Knowledge about controlled environment agriculture only becomes valuable when it is applied in practice,” added Van Oosten.
“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.”
