We see a broken food system associated with massive value destruction. We also see an opportunity to flip the script and capture the value that is currently being destroyed.
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meet our friend, photosynthesis
6CO2 + 6H20 +(energy) → C6H12O6 + 6O2. It’s the energy conversion process that ultimately powers life on our planet. It’s kind of a big deal. And we are pretty big fans.
In its simplest form, photosynthesis is beautifully elegant. But don’t be fooled - once you dig into the science of plants, you’ll find that green plants’ ability to transform light energy into chemical energy (food!) is rather complex and stems from an intricate combination of biochemistry, physics, molecular and cell biology and SO. MUCH.MORE.
Due to this complex combination of variables that inevitably impact plant growth, modern agriculture has found ways of cutting corners in the cultivation process, in an effort to optimize for production volumes. But remember: the basic equation of photosynthesis requires that the inputs on the left side must balance up with the outputs on the right side. So if you reduce the quality of your inputs in the pursuit of quantity (say, by relying on cheaper fertilizers and intensive pesticides), the quality and nutritional value of your outputs might suffer.
When taken to extremes, a trade-off arises. On one side, you'll have extractive, wasteful and polluting food production standards that often lead to high volume, lower quality and value, and correspondingly cheaper products. On the other side, you can cultivate vegetables of high nutritional value and organic makeup by choosing the best inputs and relying on non-extractive and perhaps generative standards. Such production standards are often expensive and yield lower volumes because we aren’t pushing the boundaries of biology.
There can of course be common ground between the production standards described above, but too often we see them as diametrically opposed, and their presumed inverse relationship has driven a wedge through the agricultural sector. Sadly, a lot of the world’s food production has veered toward the former, picking the side of quantity over quality.
MEET OUR FRIEND, MIRAI
At ONNA we acknowledge this challenge. We respect the intricacies of photosynthesis and understand that quality is really hard to do at scale. But we believe it can be done. Why do we believe, you ask? Because we have witnessed the magic of vertical hydroponic farming. Vertical farming provides the technological foundation to pursue quality and quantity, without one compromising the other.
The world of vertical farming is evolving fast, and we are joining the movement by partnering with Mirai – a Japanese specialist at the forefront of the movement. Mirai is a clear market leader with more than 20 years of experience in the field. We rely on their pioneering technology and experience to build systems that control more than 200 key factors for optimized plant growth – to ensure that our plants can have the most efficient and natural growth possible. In other words, we rely on technology to give our plants all the tender love and care they need to grow up to be 100% natural, healthy and happy.
Indoor cultivation will never be the same as ‘industrial factory manufacturing’ and needs a non‐linear approach by understanding the nature of biology and agricultural business.”