A capstone internship at the UPLB Plant factory with artificial lighting laboratory on the market study on plant factory-grown lettuce (Lactuca sativa)

Date

2025

Adviser

Job Jonas C. Ruzgal

Principal

Mabel S. Buela

Abstract

Vertical farming offers a promising, sustainable alternative to conventional farming. At the forefront, the University of the Philippines Los Baños Plant Factory with Artificial Lighting (UPLB-PFAL) has pioneered the research on controlled-environment farming of leafy vegetables. This capstone research internship combined hands-on training in PFAL operations with a market study examining faculty purchasing preferences for indoor-grown lettuce to address the critical gap in understanding consumer acceptance of this innovative farming method. Through 104 hours of immersive training using specialized equipment, the researchers gained practical experience in environmental monitoring and crop measurement. These were later used in the development of an 18-item survey assessing three key purchasing factors: compliance with Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), source reliability, and price sensitivity. The survey was administered to 29 UPRHS faculty members and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The data revealed that the source is the primary determinant of purchase preference (adjusted mean score = 2.9080). While price and GAP were slightly surpassed by source among purchasing factors, cost remains a hindrance, as 31.03% of respondents would not pay premium rates. Nevertheless, 82.76% said they would buy PFAL lettuce if accessible locally, which suggests a large market potential reliant on greater accessibility. Although the survey showed good overall reliability (Cronbach's α > 0.70), lower consistency in the GAP and Price sections indicates opportunities for instrument refinement in future studies. These findings provide valuable insights for PFAL's market strategy as they emphasize the need for targeted outreach involving clear value communication to address cost concerns and involving related disciplines to further discover possible opportunities and barriers for sustainable agriculture innovations

Language

English

Location

UP Rural High School

Notes

To access this capstone, please contact the UP Rural High School Library at uprhslibrary.uplb@up.edu.ph. You may also visit the library in person, provided you secure prior confirmation from the librarian. We will be happy to assist you.

Document Type

Capstone

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