Leafood and Vilnius: €6 Million Investment in Vertical Farming for a Climate-Neutral Future

As the European Green Capital for 2025, Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, is also striving for climate neutrality by 2030. Therefore, the city continuously enhances its sustainability efforts. Alternative agriculture methods, like vertical farming, are some of the means that help the city meet its environmental protection goals.

Valentinas Civinskas, CEO of Leafood, Europe’s largest vertical farm, says agricultural practices are shifting not only in Lithuania but throughout entire Europe. Companies are focused on adopting the latest technologies like AI-driven crop management, renewable energy integration, and sustainable water management.

“Alternative farming methods in the region are backed up by technological advancement in agritech. There’s also an increasing trend towards circular economy practices in agriculture, with an emphasis on waste reduction and resource efficiency. Some of Europe’s leading companies in organic farming are actually based in Vilnius and Lithuania,” the expert maintained.”

Merging agriculture with industrial development

With an investment of over 6 million euros, Leafood’s vertical farm is located in the capital. Nestled in an industrial zone, the vertical farm grows greens in areas not suitable for traditional farming methods.

“Vertical farming allows for greens to be grown in stacked layers within controlled indoor facilities. This reduces the need for vast tracts of land and alleviates the environmental strain associated with conventional farming methods,” V. Civinskas explains. Thus, vertical farms can help achieve the goals of the Nature Restoration Law, which aims to restore 90% of the EU’s land by 2050.

Moreover, having a vertical farm within Vilnius urban limits allows to dramatically shorten the supply chain and reduce CO2 emissions. “Residents and visitors of Vilnius can buy salads that have been harvested just a few hours earlier. That is the level of freshness vertical farming can offer all year round. Vilnius’ gastronomic ecosystem celebrates locally sourced food and farm-to-table ingredients. So greens that maintain their freshness and crunchiness enhance the city’s flourishing cuisine,” says V. Civinskas.

Leafood also uses up to 95% less water than traditional farms and 100% renewable energy to reduce the detrimental impact on the environment.

Talent remains at the core of innovation

Within the last few years, Vilnius’ cleantech sector has rapidly flourished and has seen 10 new additions to its ecosystem. The talent pool also doubled. Civinskas asserts that the continuous expansion of the talent pool is one of the most significant drivers in sustainable businesses, especially those operating in agriculture. For Vilnius, the supply of talent is essential for continuous innovation and emphasis on sustainability.

“Eco-minded businesses need to strengthen their talent pools with education and international exchange programs. This would allow them to attract international talent and diverse perspectives to enrich the local ecosystem. We could also launch some sort of global challenge like ‘Green Tech Challenge,’ offering substantial grants and city-wide implementation opportunities for startups solving Vilnius’ most pressing environmental issues,” he says.

In addition to sustainable practices, Civinskas emphasizes the importance of a positive work environment. “We play classical music in our vertical farm. Studies show such an environment encourages healthier plants and faster growth. I am sure that also adds to the wellbeing of our employees,” the expert adds.