Intelligent climate management for sustainable greenhouse eco-systems
According to Food Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in the next 20 years world food production must increase by 50%, while 80% of that increase must come from intensification. Modern agriculture is constantly seeking ways to overcome the constraints of decreasing agricultural land and limited water supply in an economic manner. More than 50% of the production cost of greenhouse industry is linked to the use of water, fertilisers and energy. Not only does this fact negatively affects the greenhouse environmental footprint but it also creates a financial drawback in greenhouse SMEs development. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), greenhouses should be more sustainable and their environmental impact should be significantly reduced. In this context, the major challenges that greenhouses face are to increase their production efficiency and reduce their environmental impact.
To do so, the combination of modern ICT technology with unparalleled agronomists’ scientific knowledge is a key factor: such a combination would favor a holistic approach for greenhouses’ efficiency and sustainability, covering diverse aspects, ranging from reducing the need for high energy, water, and chemicals inputs to optimal climate and cultivation control. Such an approach would also add extra value to the greenhouse products, enabling their classification in a premium product category with limited environmental impact. In the present presentation the main challenges that modern agriculture and greenhouse industry are facing today are presented and discussed. Based on these challenges the main technical solutions, technologies and systems for increasing the sustainability of greenhouse sector are analysed. Focus is given to climatisation systems (heating, ventilation, cooling, shading), rational use of energy and water resources, integrated pest management technologies and on smart greenhouse climate control.
The technologies and systems for sustainable greenhouse systems do exist. It remains to growers and greenhouse managers to use appropriately applied these technologies in practice. Then greenhouse horticulture would have a good substantial progress towards its sustainable development.