Of many products in the supermarket, we can see exactly what nutritional values they have on the packaging. Except with fruits and vegetables. "I find it fascinating to see how we can give vegetables the best possible quality. Vertical farming can play a big role in this. Unlike outdoor farming, you can determine all the conditions in detail on a vertical farm."
Jan van den Berg is a professor of Plant Envirogenetics at Maastricht University. He does this in addition to his work as a technology scout at breeding company BASF|Nunhems. On Dec. 3, he will be one of the keynote speakers at the Agrifood Innovation Event. IO interviewed him.
Van den Berg flies worldwide to see the latest technologies with his own eyes. "I see if there is a match between what we need at BASF and what is possible – you can only make that assessment if you know the sector inside out." The most fun, but at the same time, the most challenging thing about his job? He gets excited by everything he encounters along the way. (Smiling): "I often quickly see it as reality. But that's not how it works; implementing new technologies takes time and patience. My colleagues at BASF|Nunhems make sure I keep both feet on the ground."
Read more at Innovation Origins.