Vertical farming facility – Shaping the future of indoor crop cultivation

Good to know

In short

Innovation facility for crop cultivation in fully closed, airtight environments
Research into crop selection and optimal growth conditions
Option to precisely control environmental parameters

WUR’s vertical farming facility offers companies, governments and research partners unique opportunities to test and further develop fully controlled indoor crop cultivation systems. It supports innovation towards sustainable, efficient and reliable local food production – independent of weather, climate and availability of agricultural land - for urban populations worldwide.

What can you do at the vertical farming facility?

What can you do here?

At our vertical farming facility, companies and research partners can explore indoor crop cultivation in closed, fully controlled systems. The four cultivation cells – two multi-layer and two high-wire – allow experiments with crop choice, climate control, light intensity and spectrum, and cultivation strategy.

The facility is airtight, enabling precise measurement of CO₂ uptake and water use as well as optimisation of crop growth conditions. Vertical farming research here contributes to reducing land use, minimizing nutrient emissions and pesticide dependency, and improving resource efficiency in terms of water, CO2 and energy.

Insights are also applied to advance greenhouse horticulture, particularly for high-value crops and propagation of young plants.

“WUR’s vertical farming facility brings sustainable, efficient and fully controlled cultivation within reach – for cities worldwide and beyond.”

Who is the vertical farming facility for?

Who for?

This facility is relevant for technology providers, growers, breeders, food producers, and policymakers who seek to understand crop responses to tailored environmental conditions, develop or implement sustainable cultivation systems that support reliable, local food production in urban areas.