The vertical farm research and development, unique in Central Europe, was handed over at Tungsram headquarters in Újpest on Wednesday. With the help of a vertical farm, the world’s food supply can be solved in the future, as young vegetables and young lettuce plants can be produced exclusively with LED lights, and artificial lighting, regardless of the time of day and weather. The lamps and technology were provided by the Tungsram factories in Nagykanizsa and Hajdúböszörmény.
One of the drivers of growth is that the world will have to produce fifty percent more food in ten years than is produced now due to climate change, urbanization and population growth. Meanwhile, the harvestable farmland is declining dramatically
Jörg Bauer, President and CEO of Tungsram, said at the handover, adding that the company is 125 years old this year, and previous generations have all contributed to the growth of society through light bulbs, radio or even television. The current generation can make a permanent contribution to the world’s food supply, but it requires massive development to produce grains, rice and corn in this way.
In the case of vertical farms that belong to indoor farming, plants and fruits can be produced even in urban environments, regardless of season or climate, and even with their help the yield, quality, content value and water use of crops can be greatly improved compared to conventional cultivation. Water consumption can be reduced by as much as 95 to 98 percent, and pathogens are kept away from the crop.
The investment cost was 575 million Swiss francs, realized with the support of the Ministry of Innovation and Technology (ITM) in the amount of HUF 250 million.
The farm is 100% developed and manufactured in Hungary. The goal is to return Hungary to its ancient position, among the five largest agricultural research countries in the world, with its knowledge.
– said Laszlo Giorgi, ITM State Minister.
