Hydroponic Solutions for Urban Food Production

Hydroponics is a growing alternative to produce high quality and profitable specialty crops such as herbs, greens and cut flowers in places that are not suitable for cultivation. Hydroponic technologies also have the advantage of increasing production per square foot in comparison with traditional agriculture.

Below are the PowerPoints along with a short bio and contact information for each of the speakers.

Supplemental Publications:

• Building a Floating Hydroponic Garden
• Hydroponic Systems
• Sistemas Hidropónicos

Urban Agriculture for Sustainable Cities

Jiangxiao Qiu
Assistant Professor
Landscape Ecology
qiuj@ufl.edu

Jiangxiao Qiu is an Assistant Professor of Landscape Ecology in the School of Forest Resources and Conservation, at the University of Florida, stationed at Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center. He received his PhD in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University and Wisconsin-Madison. His research program aims to understand and predict how global environmental changes affect biodiversity and ecosystems at the regional and global scales, and their consequences for a range of vital ecosystem services, such as food and clean water. He has been working intensively in human-dominated landscapes, such as urban and agricultural setting. The ultimate goal of his research is to produce knowledge that is critical for developing solutions for real-world conservation, management and policy challenges.

Hydroponic Production for Hobby or Business

Jonael Bosquesis
County Extension Director and Extension Agent I
jonael@ufl.edu 

Jonael (Jona) Bosquesis the UF/IFAS Extension Agriculture Agent and County Extension Director for Hardee County since February 1st, 2016. Prior to his current appointment, Mr. Bosques served as the Small Farms Agent at UF/IFAS Extension office in Marion County where he spent 4 years. Jona holds BS and MS degrees in Animal Science, specialized in beef cattle production. Previous to working in Florida, Mr. Bosques worked for the Cooperative Extension Service in Georgia for nearly five years. He is trained in many areas of agriculture ranging from livestock production to integrated pest management, to vegetable crop production.

Additionally, Mr. Bosques served as a County Extension Director in Greene County, GA for nearly 3 years, after serving for two years in Coffee County, GA as the Livestock Agent.

Integrated Pest Management for Hydroponic Sturctures

E. Vanessa Campoverde
Extension Agent II, M.S. 
evcampoverde@ufl.edu 

E. Vanessa Campoverde, is a bilingual University of Florida/ (IFAS) Extension Agent.

She provides training to growers and green industry professionals in south Florida since 2011. Ms. Campoverde began her career in agriculture since 2001 working at The International Potato Center member of The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) in Peru.  After graduating from her Master’s in plant Pathology from the University of Florida, she worked as a plant research scientist for the Plant Diagnostic Clinic at the UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead, FL.

Campoverde has gained invaluable experience in leadership and agricultural projects involving research, teaching and Extension appointments in collaboration with research institutions, society organizations, academia and private industry. Interacting with local, national and international audiences in Latin America and USA.

Vanessa was recipient of the UF/IFAS Award for Excellence in Internationalizing Extension and Florida Association of County Agricultural Agents Young Professional Award.

You can contact her at evcampoverde@ufl.edu or 305-2483311 EXT 241

Hydroponic Lettuce Production in Florida

Dr. German Sandoya
Assistant Professor
Horticulture
gsandoyamiranda@ufl.edu

Germán Sandoya is an Assistant Professor in Lettuce Breeding and Genetics of the University of Florida and he is based at the EREC in Belle Glade, FL. His mission is to improve lettuce cultivars for Florida production; such goals include, diseae resistance, portharvest quality and the use of lettuce in non traditional crop production systems such as hydroponic lettuce.

Grow Lights Alternative for Urban Farmers

Francisco P Rivera Melendez
Extension Agent I, M.S. 
friveramelendez@ufl.edu 

Francisco Rivera is the Small Farms Agent of Hillsborough County. Francisco has experience in hydroponics, animal nutrition, and agribusiness. Regarding hydroponics, he has the skills to design, build and manage hydroponic system including, nutrient film technique, floating beds, and aeroponics. Mr. Rivera is collaborating on the indoor hydroponic project with UF/IFAS lettuce specialist Dr. Sandoya.

Mr. Rivera's programming areas include sustainable agriculture methods, agricultural marketing, rural resource conservation and protection, least toxic pest management, and regulatory requirements for agricultural production. Also, include programs relating to rural/urban interface, intensive small-scale agricultural, and small farm livestock/forage production.

Education
B.S. General Agriculture, University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez Campus
M.S. Animal Science concentration in Animal Nutrition, University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez Campus
M.B.A. Concentration in Accounting, Metropolitan University