The Plant Empowerment Summer School is coming to Australia. Following two introductory training sessions in 2025 and 2026, we’re developing a dedicated Australian edition for 2027. The programme will combine online learning and face-to-face sessions around PCA 2027 on the Gold Coast, bringing together Plant Empowerment expertise in climate management, plant health, irrigation and data-driven growing.
Gold Coast, Australia | July 2027
Plant Empowerment Australian Summer School
About the Summer School
The Australian Summer School brings Plant Empowerment knowledge and practical learning together in a compact, multi-day programme around PCA 2027. Combining online sessions with in-person training, participants will explore different aspects of data-driven growing, from climate and irrigation to plant health and crop performance.
The programme is currently being finalised, with the sessions and topics tailored to the needs of Australian protected cropping professionals.
Interested in participating or receiving updates? Get in touch with us.
Training details
Part of the PCA 2027
The Australian Summer School will take place around the Protected Cropping Australia (PCA) Conference, bringing Plant Empowerment learning together with one of the key events for the Australian protected cropping industry.
What you’ll learn
Explore how Plant Empowerment principles can be applied to climate, plant health, irrigation and data-driven growing. Through expert-led sessions and practical insights, you’ll deepen your understanding of how plant and greenhouse conditions interact.
The Plant Empowerment approach
The challenges growers face are rarely caused by one factor alone. Plant Empowerment provides a framework for understanding how energy, water and assimilates interact within the plant, and how greenhouse conditions influence these processes. By understanding these relationships, growers can move beyond fixed cultivation recipes and make more informed decisions based on what the crop actually needs.
Who should join?
The Plant Empowerment Summer School is designed for professionals working in Australian protected cropping who want to strengthen their understanding of data-driven growing and apply Plant Empowerment principles in practice.
About the trainers
The in-person programme will bring together Ton Habraken and Mark van der Werf, two Plant Empowerment specialists who have been involved with the approach from its early development.
Ton Habraken – Greenhouse Climate Expert
Ton Habraken is a Plant Empowerment consultant with extensive experience in greenhouse climate control, plant physiology and data-driven growing strategies. He combines deep technical knowledge with a practical approach, helping growers understand how plants respond to climate and how to steer towards optimal conditions. His expertise includes ventilation strategies, crop activity and translating complex sensor data into clear, actionable insights.
Mark van der Werf – Plant Health Specialist
Mark has years of experience translating plant physiology into practical cultivation strategies. His focus is on helping growers understand the processes taking place inside the plant and how these relate to crop resilience, plant health and growing conditions.
Practical information