PLANTING SEEDS By AMY CHARLES The University of Pikeville continues to lead the way in innovation, bringing new opportunities for students through the emerging indoor farming industry. UPIKE’s latest endeavor on the agricultural front is the AgTech Innovation Center of Excellence.
President Burton J. Webb, Ph.D., visited the Netherlands this past summer as part of a delegation representing the Commonwealth of Kentucky. He believes one way to foster research and encourage more young people to pursue careers in agriculture is to create a place where they can learn about controlled environment agriculture (CEA) techniques in Eastern Kentucky.
“Several members of my leadership team and I have traveled to the Netherlands to investigate their approach to food production,” said Webb. “There, all of the support businesses for the CEA sector tend to cluster around research centers called Green Ports. We plan to replicate that kind of complex ecosystem here in Kentucky. If we do it well, significant economic development will be the result.”
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UPIKE MAGAZINE | FALL/WINTER 2022
CEA is just one part of the larger AgTech market in the U.S., and it has the potential to become a multibilliondollar industry, which could be transformative for the region. Replicating the Netherlands’ agricultural model, this project aims to promote job growth by bringing an advanced, new industry to the area while enhancing educational opportunities for UPIKE students.
“High-tech agriculture and CEA are industries exploding throughout the region,” said Webb. “The UPIKE AgTech Innovation Center of Excellence puts Pikeville on the high-tech CEA map and will enable us to grow with this innovative industry.”
The facility will include a greenhouse, classroom space, laboratory and offices to lead high-tech agriculture research efforts that aid the industry’s continued development and long-term viability while supporting increasing regional demand for food production. Once completed, the project will contribute to entrepreneurial and business development strategies for Eastern Kentucky and Central Appalachia, as well as the education of the next generation of the agricultural industry workforce.