Kentucky State University announced on May 14 that its $7 million DARE-KY research initiative is advancing the development of a statewide agricultural technology network. The progress was highlighted at the first DARE-KY AgTech Symposium, held April 21 at the Harold R. Benson Research and Demonstration Farm in Frankfort.
The event brought together researchers, students, educators, public-sector partners, and agtech companies to discuss soilless agriculture research and efforts to connect education with commercialization. Dr. Avinash Tope, principal investigator for DARE-KY and associate dean and associate professor of human nutrition and food safety at Kentucky State University, said: “This symposium showed what DARE-KY was created to do. It brought people from across the agtech ecosystem into the same conversation and showed how Kentucky State is building capacity for Kentucky to lead.”
DARE-KY (Driving AgTech Research and Education in Kentucky) is funded by the largest National Science Foundation grant in university history. The initiative aims to strengthen research around hydroponics and aquaponics while fostering workforce development through partnerships across Kentucky.
At the symposium, updates were shared on new facilities such as a two-bay aquaponics and hydroponics greenhouse scheduled for completion in May at Kentucky State’s Center for Agriculture Research, Education, and Technology. Researchers discussed advances in nutrient use within aquaponic systems—including mineralization processes that convert fish waste into plant-available nutrients—and early findings suggesting these methods can boost plant production.
Student involvement featured prominently with a poster competition including participants from multiple institutions. Annika Maxey of FoodChain won first place for her work on vertical aquaponics promoting food literacy; DeAira Watts of Kentucky State earned second place for research on microbial dynamics; Kwabena Sarpong placed third with his study on selenium fertilization effects.
The keynote address by Jacob Ball of Bluegrass AgTech Development Corp., titled “From Classroom to Commercialization: How AgTech Is Rewriting Kentucky’s Agricultural Story,” emphasized creating pathways from student learning to commercial opportunities within agtech industries.
Through hands-on training programs—including paid student positions, K-12 curriculum modules, apprenticeships focused on soilless agriculture—and collaborations with organizations like Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) and FoodChain, DARE-KY has engaged more than 100 students across partner institutions. Presentations also outlined BCTC’s developing aquaponics program as well as FoodChain’s role connecting urban food production with community-based learning experiences.
Organizers say that through ongoing collaboration among universities, colleges, industry partners, nonprofits like FoodChain, government agencies such as the Kentucky Science & Technology Corporation (KSTC), Bellarmine University—alongside continued support from funding bodies—DARE-KY is evolving beyond a single project into an interconnected network supporting sustainability-focused agricultural innovation throughout the state.
A pre-symposium workshop offered additional opportunities by inviting students to develop grant proposals related to agricultural technology; selected projects may receive up to $5,000 toward implementation.
According to organizers at Kentucky State University, these developments reinforce their land-grant mission by bringing research solutions directly into practice while preparing students for careers linked to food systems sustainability.
