Learning together

To dive into the different futures for horticulture, we traveled to one of our inspiring partners in Mexico. In the heart of its agricultural landscape, Félix Tarrats is redefining what it means to grow—both crops and communities.

As the founder of Core and the general manager of Ceickor University, Félix has built Ceickor into a hub of collaboration, where knowledge flows freely, and future growers are trained to meet the demands of a sustainable world.

When we arrived at Ceickor University, Félix welcomed us into the heart of the operation: the greenhouse. Surrounded by students and fellow agronomists , Félix spoke passionately about his mission to train agents of change in the industry with integrity, sharing what he’s learned through years of hands-on experience. Felix believes in the power of sharing knowledge, embracing opportunities and growing a community beyond traditional competition to ultimately provide healthy, affordable and sustainably produced food. Only by learning together, we can grow together.

“I am Félix Tarrats, I’ve been in horticulture since I graduated in 1998 as an agronomist engineer, I have three children, and we founded Core in 2005 and since then I am the general manager of Ceickor and the university.” he tells us. “I know what works and what doesn’t. Ceickor is where we push those boundaries, challenging what we know and opening ourselves to new ideas and methods.”

But as Félix is quick to emphasize, Ceickor goes beyond passing on established knowledge. “The University goes beyond this, it's where we challenge what we know with our students. There we have the capacity to be open to innovation, to new challenges and new ways of producing.”

This openness to learning and collaboration is core to Ceickor’s mission. Félix believes that the only way to make lasting change is by equipping students with both knowledge and a sense of responsibility. “We firmly believe in the education of our students as one of the tools to transform the world we live in today. The only way we are going to be able to make a real change is by raising awareness in the new generations of the importance of new technologies, innovations and collaboration for the most sustainable production of healthy and affordable food.”

For Félix, fostering a sense of community is as essential as teaching technical skills. “Since we began with the idea of the university, living in community has been very important and is one of the fundamental pieces of our education. Students learn to share. They learn another vision of the world. And they leave here as different people.” Ceickor’s students don’t just learn how to grow plants—they learn how to grow together, as a team and as part of a broader agricultural ecosystem.

Félix recalls how, in the early days, he and his team had to ask themselves whether they were willing to openly share their expertise with others. “When we started giving the first courses, one of the big questions was whether we were willing to share knowledge,” he says.

“But ever since we have, it has been wonderful. Whenever you share, you get more than what you gave.” Through this openness, Ceickor has built strong alliances with partners like Priva and Koppert, companies that share their commitment to advancing agriculture through knowledge sharing.

Ceickor’s work isn’t about one individual or even one institution. “Let me give you an example,” Félix offers. “For many years now, we have a project where multiple companies collaborate together, shaping a real technology transfer center. One of them is Priva, which was the first company that supported us at Ceickor and was the first alliance for this knowledge-sharing concept. Ceickor has been the dream of many people and companies together. We want to be the frontrunners of collaboration. We believe, if you want to go fast, go alone. But if you want to go far, go together.” By working alongside industry leaders, Ceickor has become a vibrant center of technology transfer, where students gain direct access to advanced tools and insights from some of the most innovative companies in agriculture.

Looking to the future, Félix sees Ceickor’s role as even more essential in an industry facing increasing pressures to produce sustainably.

“The world of greenhouses, where Ceickor is immersed, has been a success,” he explains. “But the great challenge of the future is to make food much more sustainable, much more local, where resources are used very carefully.” Ceickor is already exploring indoor growing and vertical farming, methods that align with this vision for a more sustainable food system.

Félix also encourages his students to continue learning and sharing well beyond their time at Ceickor. “Something we tell our students is to continue learning together, towards a sustainable future together,” he says. “We should share much more data, even strategic data with other growers, to advance our field.”

With Félix Tarrats leading the way, Ceickor University is more than a place to learn. It’s a collaborative force shaping the future of horticulture. Through Félix’s dedication and expertise, Ceickor is creating not only skilled growers but also thoughtful leaders, committed to making a lasting impact on the world of sustainable agriculture. As Félix puts it, “Only by learning together can we all grow together.”

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Pioneering Education & Partnership: Félix Tarrats on Ceickor University's role in the future of collaborative growth

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