They are working on this very effectively.
Ms. Zhao Wenqing from IEDA said that the company can be described as a link between the Chinese government and investors to establish agriparks for advanced sustainable food production. The projects are financed partly by the government, partly privately.
After more than 10 years of development, IEDA currently owns more than 5000m2 research laboratories and employs 8 researchers and professors, 12 research associates, 15 doctors, 20 masters, etc. Despite the name of the company, they also have strong relationships with other parts of China and also with other countries, in particular with the Middle East, European countries and Japan. Ms Wenging, who graduated at the Wageningen University, emphasized the importance of their scientific relations with the Netherlands as well. She added, “…they also get to know about the greenhouse market in China and we get to know how to implement Dutch greenhouse technology in China […] Our aim is to find the right design for specific applications to upgrade the level of Chinese horticulture. The Dutch can play an important role in this search …”
Ms Zhao Wenging at the Hortiflorexpo IPM Beijing trade show in China
IEDA is the first Chinese company working on Plant Factory, Urban Horticulture, Multi-Function Technology Hydroponics System, LED Plant Cultivation Lamp, and Home Gardening, etc. They offer solutions for any kind of problems related to controlled environments on every scale. They also pay special attention to people who are not directly involved in agricultural production, by promoting advanced horticulture in China amongst consumers. As Ms Wenging said, “The Chinese are really interested […]. When they see a hydroponic lettuce they think it is only a flower, but we show them it is not only a flower, it is growing in a hydroponic system. For most of the people not from the agricultural field, these are quite new things. And we show them it is healthy and tasty… And then they get to know it and trust it.”
Sustainability, practical and economical use, environmentally friendly production and healthy produce are the cores of all IEDA’s facilities and solutions. However, in case of their inventions being used for personal use, such as their home gardening products, they paid special attention to the design as well. Thus, they encourage consumers to make horticultural technology a part of their everyday life and produce their own healthy foods and flowers.
Ms. Zhao Wenqing concluded that this is a very good time to invest in horticultural technology in China. The number of greenhouses is gradually growing and on the other hand people are becoming more and more aware and interested in technologies such as hydroponics, in healthy eating and in urban farming in general.
For more information:
Beijing IEDA Protected Horticulture Co
http://www.agri-garden.com/en/Enterprise.aspx
By Luca Utassy and Boy de Nijs
