Holy See
Introduction
Percorsi di Cittadinanza is a charity organization that's linked to the Holy See. At the request of Pope Francis, we built a small indoor vertical farm in Le Citta dei Ragazzi, which has sheltered refugees since World War II.
Completely non-profit and community-based, this vertical farm is designed to teach young people about controlled environment agriculture. We hope it can inspire a new generation of agriculture professionals.
Our construction team collaborated with local vendors to build the farm. Our international project managers designed a curriculum and trained Percorsi di Cittadinanza's teachers to deliver it to their students.
Sowing Seeds in Gel Substrate
By following our curriculum, the students can learn how to make a simple gel substrate, plant seeds and germinate healthy seedlings.
Growing Plants Under LED Light
Equipped with our LED technology, they can grow the same high quality produce that we grow in our commercial vertical farms.
Harvesting Salads for the Community
After harvesting their leafy greens, they learn how to prepare delicious salads from chefs in the Percorsi di Cittadinanza kitchen.
Farm Specs
Location
Rome, Italy
Purpose
Educational
Total Growing Area
N/A
Maximum Daily Output
Actual Daily Output
N/A
N/A
First Harvest
2021
Latest News
January 17, 2021
Taipei Times: Taiwan, Vatican tout first harvest from vertical farm
Representatives of Taiwan and the Vatican on Friday celebrated the first harvest from a new indoor farming facility, which the two sides said would showcase the role of technology in developing more sustainable agriculture.
Ambassador to the Holy See Matthew Lee (李世明) toured the farm on the grounds of the Opera Nazionale Per Le Citta’ Dei Ragazzi, Italian for “City of Youth,” a Catholic foundation that provides educational opportunities and career training to young immigrants and refugees.
The foundation, which is located on a 60-hectare complex in southwestern Rome, has over the past few years served as a testing ground for many of the Vatican’s environmental initiatives... [READ MORE]
November 23, 2020
Taiwan News: Taiwan, Vatican advance ties with biotech farm in Rome
Taiwan aims to boost ties with its only European ally, the Vatican, by constructing a biotech model farm in Rome.
Three Taiwanese engineers tasked with implementing the project visited Taiwan’s embassy to the Holy See on Saturday (Nov. 21). Ambassador Matthew Lee (李世明) lauded the engineers for furthering bilateral relations amid the raging coronavirus in Europe, wrote CNA.
According to Lee, Taiwan places an emphasis on pesticide-free biological farming practices, echoing the spirit of ecological balance advocated by the pope. The demonstration farm will employ vertical farming techniques, as increasing crop yields in an urban setting are viewed as a solution to sustainable food production worldwide... [READ MORE]
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