“Part of the success in our operational flow and crop growth comes from the CreaSpacer” – FloralDaily

Report on Engineering Partnerships Advancing Sustainable Agriculture through Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Innovation

Executive Summary

A long-term engineering partnership between Ecopromt and Crea-Tech has produced the CreaSpacer, an automated plant-spacing system that significantly advances the efficiency and sustainability of modern indoor farming. With over 220,000 units in operation, this technology exemplifies how targeted innovation can directly support several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including those related to responsible production, decent work, and industry innovation. This report analyzes the CreaSpacer system and the collaborative model that created it, highlighting its contributions to a more sustainable global food system.

The CreaSpacer System: An Innovation for Sustainable Production

System Overview

The CreaSpacer is a system of expandable trays designed to automate the spacing of plants in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) operations. The core function is to adjust the distance between young crops as they grow without disturbing their root systems. This innovation, born from a two-decade partnership, transitions traditional greenhouse gutter system principles into the high-density context of vertical farming. The system’s design addresses critical operational challenges in CEA, automating a task that is often manual and labor-intensive.

Contributions to Sustainable Development Goals

• SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): The system enhances production efficiency by improving crop uniformity and minimizing damage to plants during transplanting stages. This reduces crop loss and waste, ensuring more responsible and sustainable production patterns within the food supply chain.
• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): By automating the manual labor associated with plant spacing, the CreaSpacer promotes safer and more efficient working conditions. This technological integration supports a shift in the agricultural workforce towards more skilled operational and technical roles, contributing to sustained and inclusive economic growth.
• SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): The technology increases the operational efficiency and potential yield of indoor farms. By making CEA more productive and reliable, it strengthens local food systems and contributes to global food security, a primary objective of SDG 2.

A Multi-Generational Partnership Driving Progress

Historical Context and Collaborative Synergy

The development of the CreaSpacer is the result of a multi-generational partnership between the Jonsson family (founders of Swedeponic and Ecopromt) and Paul van der Laan of Crea-Tech, a collaboration dating back to the early 2000s. The partnership’s success is founded on a synergistic combination of expertise: Ecopromt provides deep knowledge of plant biology and operational requirements, while Crea-Tech delivers advanced automation and mechanical engineering solutions. This model has been successfully implemented in over five major CEA projects, including installations for Shenandoah Growers and Soli Organic.

Alignment with SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)

The Ecopromt-Crea-Tech relationship is a powerful case study for SDG 17, demonstrating how collaboration is essential for achieving sustainable development. Key elements of this successful partnership include:

1. Complementary Expertise: The integration of biological knowledge with engineering capability has led to holistic and effective solutions that address real-world agricultural challenges.
2. Long-Term Commitment: The two-decade history of collaboration has allowed for continuous improvement and the transfer of lessons learned across multiple projects and generations.
3. A Broader Ecosystem of Collaboration: Ecopromt extends this partnership-first approach to other suppliers, including those for lighting, climate, and control systems, to deliver integrated and optimized solutions for each project.

Broader Implications for Sustainable Industry and Communities

Impact on the CEA Sector

The success of the CreaSpacer and the underlying partnership model provides a blueprint for the broader CEA industry. It underscores the importance of valuing and nurturing long-term collaborations to drive innovation. As noted by Wouter Verhoef of Bosman Van Zaal (Crea-Tech’s parent group), such partnerships enable technology providers to advance their developments in alignment with the sector’s biological and market needs.

Contributions to Broader SDGs

• SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure): This collaboration fosters innovation and builds resilient agricultural infrastructure. The development of automation loops and systems like the CreaSpacer represents a significant advancement in sustainable industrialization within the ag-tech sector.
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): By enhancing the efficiency of indoor vertical farms, this technology supports the viability of urban agriculture. Producing food closer to consumers reduces transportation emissions, strengthens urban food security, and contributes to the development of more sustainable and resilient cities.

Conclusion

The collaboration between Ecopromt and Crea-Tech, culminating in the CreaSpacer system, serves as a compelling example of how strategic partnerships can accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals. By combining biological expertise with engineering innovation, the partners have developed a solution that not only improves operational efficiency but also promotes responsible production, fosters economic growth through skilled labor, and strengthens the infrastructure for a sustainable global food future. This partnership-first approach is fundamental to addressing the complex challenges of the modern CEA industry and achieving broader sustainable development objectives.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on the CreaSpacer system and the partnership between Ecopromt and Crea-Tech connects to several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by highlighting advancements in agricultural technology, innovation, and collaboration.

1. SDG 2: Zero Hunger
   • The article discusses innovations in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), a method of farming aimed at increasing food production efficiency. The CreaSpacer system, which “improves crop uniformity,” directly contributes to more predictable and potentially higher yields, which is essential for sustainable food production systems.
2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • The technology described aims to increase productivity by automating tasks. The article states that the tray design “reduces labour” and “enables farms to automate a task that remains manual in many CEA operations.” This shift from manual labor to automated systems represents a move towards higher economic productivity through technological upgrading.
3. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
   • This is a central theme of the article. The CreaSpacer is presented as an “innovative solution” resulting from a “long-term engineering partnership.” The entire article is a case study of how collaboration fosters technological development (“many inventions and progress within the ag industry”) and upgrades industrial processes within the modern farming sector.
4. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
   • While not explicitly detailed, the principles of CEA and the efficiencies gained from the CreaSpacer system imply more sustainable production patterns. Improving “operational flow and crop growth” and achieving “proper plant spacing” contribute to the efficient use of resources like space, water, and energy, which is a core component of responsible production.
5. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • The article is fundamentally about the power of collaboration. It repeatedly emphasizes the “partnership that began almost twenty years ago” between Ecopromt and Crea-Tech. Phrases like “Ecopromt’s biological and market expertise and Crea-Tech’s technical capabilities complement each other seamlessly” and Ecopromt’s “partnership-first approach” directly illustrate the principles of this SDG.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the article, the following specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production.
   • The CreaSpacer system, used in indoor farming, is a technology designed to create more resilient and productive agricultural systems. Its ability to “improve crop uniformity” and support “operational flow” directly aligns with the goal of increasing productivity in food production.
2. Target 8.2: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation.
   • The article highlights how the CreaSpacer automates plant spacing, a form of technological upgrading that “reduces labour.” This automation leads to higher operational efficiency and productivity within the CEA sector.
3. Target 9.5: Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, encouraging innovation.
   • The long-standing collaboration that resulted in the CreaSpacer and “multiple successful automation flows” is a direct example of upgrading technological capabilities and fostering innovation within the agricultural industry.
4. Target 12.2: By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.
   • The system’s design, which allows for “maintaining proper plant spacing without the manual labour,” contributes to the efficient use of space and other resources in an indoor farm, minimizing waste and maximizing output from a given area.
5. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.
   • The article is a testament to this target, describing the private-private partnership between Ecopromt and Crea-Tech as “successful for many years.” It explicitly states, “It only works if both parties view and treat each other as partners,” underscoring the importance of effective partnership models.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article contains several explicit and implied indicators that can measure progress:

1. Indicator for Target 2.4 & 9.5: Adoption rate of new agricultural technologies.
   • The article explicitly states that “More than 220,000 expandable trays are currently in operation.” This number serves as a direct indicator of the technology’s adoption and its contribution to modernizing food production systems.
2. Indicator for Target 8.2: Increase in labor productivity through automation.
   • The article provides a qualitative indicator by stating the system “reduces labour” and “enables farms to automate a task that remains manual in many CEA operations.” This indicates a shift towards higher labor productivity.
3. Indicator for Target 12.2: Efficiency in production.
   • The mention of “improves crop uniformity” is an implied indicator of production efficiency and reduced waste, as uniform crops are easier to manage, harvest, and market.
4. Indicator for Target 17.17: Number and success of collaborative projects.
   • The article mentions that “Crea-Tech equipment has formed part of more than five controlled-environment projects led by Ecopromt.” This quantifies the output of the partnership. Furthermore, the development of specific products like the “CreaSpacer” and other “automation loops” serves as a concrete indicator of the partnership’s success and effectiveness. The longevity of the partnership (“almost twenty years”) is another strong qualitative indicator.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: verticalfarmdaily.com