Typical research infrastructures include
Several research infrastructure facilities of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry and HiLIFE (Helsinki Institute of Life Science) offer research services, instruments, facilities and technologies for academic research groups, companies and authorities subject for charge.
The FOODNUTRI research infrastructure will contribute to the implementation of the EU’s Food 2030 policy, taking into account the Finnish government’s vision: “In 2030, Finnish consumers eat tasty, healthy and safe Finnish food that has been produced sustainably and ethically. Consumers have the ability and possibility to make informed choices". FOODNUTRI will serve researchers, business operators, authorities, healthcare professionals, farmers, and other stakeholders.
The Nordic region faces unique agricultural challenges due to its distinct climate and light conditions. While advanced research infrastructures (RIs) exist, there remains a critical knowledge gap between plant scientists and computer scientists.
NordPheno addresses this by establishing an interdisciplinary Nordic RI hub. We are connecting plant phenotyping facilities with advanced AI and IoT capabilities to create a unified, data-driven ecosystem for future agriculture. NordPheno brings together 8 leading institutions across 4 Nordic countries to advance plant phenotyping.
DiAGRI (Smart Digital Agriculture Infrastructure) is a cutting-edge research and development infrastructure that combines smart sensing, networking, and artificial intelligence with Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA). Jointly developed by the University of Helsinki and Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, DiAGRI creates a distributed, synergistic platform for sustainable urban food production research in the Helsinki-Uusimaa region.
The infrastructure integrates advanced growth chambers, multi-modal imaging systems, IoT sensor networks, and edge AI computing — enabling researchers and industry partners to develop, test, and scale smart agriculture technologies from lab to production.
The research greenhouses and protected research field in Viikki enable diverse and high-quality research and teaching. The facilities comprise a total of 2,400 square metres of greenhouse space as well as three hectares of fenced arable land for teaching and research.
The greenhouses also include the imaging facilities of the NaPPI research infrastructure, as well as growing rooms and chambers. While the plant cultivation infrastructure is primarily used by the University of Helsinki, external parties can also carry out research projects in the facilities.