3rd JPFA International Symposium on Plant Factory

📍 Location: Kashiwanoha Conference Center, Kashiwa, Japan
📅 Dates: August 31 – September 1, 2026
🎤 Organizer: Japan Plant Factory Association (JPFA)
🎪 Format: International Symposium + Site Tours + Training Course

💡 Exploring the Future of PFALs & Smart Agriculture

The International Symposium on Plant Factory (ISPF 2026) is the Japan Plant Factory Association’s global platform for open discussion and innovation in Plant Factories with Artificial Lighting (PFALs). With the theme “Toward a Sustainable Future,” this year’s event brings together researchers, entrepreneurs, technologists, and policymakers to address roles, applications, and emerging challenges in PFALs—ranging from food security to ecosystem resilience and urban well-being.

Taking place at Smart City Kashiwanoha, ISPF 2026 offers expert presentations, panel discussions, and poster sessions, plus hands-on tours and a two-day follow-up training course at Chiba University.

🎯 Why You Should Attend

✅ Leading Global Symposium on PFALs
Focused entirely on artificial lighting-based plant factories and their impact on food production systems, sustainability, and social use cases.

✅ International Speaker Line-Up
Confirmed speakers include:
• Hiroki Koga – Co-founder & CEO, Oishii Farm
• Leo Marcelis – Professor, Wageningen University
More speakers to be announced soon.

✅ Hands-on Tours & Live Interpretation
• Onsite tour of PFALs and greenhouses at Chiba University
• Free guided Smart City tour
• Real-time transcription and translation services
• Reception & networking on September 1

✅ Poster Presentations & Exhibits
An opportunity for researchers and startups to showcase work in CEA, PFALs, urban farming, and advanced horticulture.

✅ Add-On PFAL Training Course (Sep 3–4)
• 2-day on-site course with expert-led sessions
• Visits to multiple commercial PFALs
• Cultivation & climate control deep-dives
• Includes pre-learning online material

🎟️ Registration Fees

• 🎓 Student Discount: Contact symposium@npoplantfactory.org
• 🕒 Deadline: August 25, 2026 (or earlier if capacity is reached)
• 🌱 Membership Option: Join JPFA to register at member rate.
  
  

🧱 Topics Covered

• Utilization & societal role of PFALs

• Sustainability & energy efficiency

• Crop physiology & cultivation management

• Artificial lighting & environmental control

• Smart city integration & health-focused food systems

• Business models and operational challenges

• International collaboration & co-creation

👥 Who Should Attend?

• Vertical Farming Operators & Suppliers

• Researchers in Plant Science & Horticulture

• Smart Agriculture & LED Tech Companies

• FoodTech Startups & Innovators

• Urban Planners & Ecosystem Designers

• Students & Educators in Controlled Agriculture

• Governmental Policy Makers & Investors