Feasibility study of a controlled environment agriculture ecosystem in Kentucky

This research focuses on making recommendations for the development of a Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Ecosystem in Kentucky. As an approach, a desk study was conducted, a large number of experts interviewed, and a field visit to the Netherlands was made. The desk study consists of an analysis of learning experiences of the Dutch CEA ecosystem and an analysis of the Kentucky CEA Ecosystem through a cluster analysis of the horticultural complex, using the Triple Helix model and Porter’s Five Forces. For this purpose, six Dutch agrocluster experts were interviewed and six stakeholders active in the Kentucky horticultural supply chain. In addition, the Knowledge System in Kentucky was examined using the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System approach by interviewing 29 local experts. The results were translated into 10 recommendations elaborated into more than 30 actions for the development of the CEA ecosystem in Kentucky.