Vertical farming is simply the future of agriculture. Understand it as an agriculture invented to conserve space and resources - making it truly sustainable. As the name suggests, the farming in the vertical farming space is done using the vertical setup so that the plants can be stacked on top of each other and the horizontal space can be saved to produce the maximum.
According to the latest revelation, the world population as of 2024 is 8.1 Bn and is anticipated to cross 9.8 Bn by the end of 2050. This simply means more mouths to feed under the same or even fewer resources available than now.
With the rising income, the purchasing capacity of people automatically rises. With this, we have a clear idea that to make food abundantly available, we must implement certain things without fail.
1) Reduction in Food Wastage.
2) Enhancement of Food Production Without Expanding the Agriculture Land.
3) Adapt to Climate Change.
4) New Age Farming Like Vertical Farming and Controlled Environment Agriculture.
5) Fresh produce enriched with nutrients.
We have covered the method of vertical farming in our previous blog, you can have a look. https://verticalfarmingshow.com/What-is-vertical-farming-method.html
Regions in which foods are imported as well as those that suffer from water scarcity including the Middle East and North Africa where more than 80% of the population is devoid of freshwater due to extreme weather conditions,
Here, the logic is simple.
Agriculture consumes more than 60% of the world's water and on the contrary, innovative mode of farming practices like vertical farming consumes 95% less than traditional methods. Moreover, fresh produce that is temperature sensitive can also be greens, Brassicas and Rooted Vegetables can also grow.
To know more, you can read our previous article - Revolutionizing Agriculture: Explore Vertical Farming in the Middle East https://verticalfarmingshow.com/vertical-farming-in-middle-east.html
And, Vertical farming in UAE - What future beholds! https://verticalfarmingshow.com/vertical-farming-in-uae.html
History of Vertical Farming
Vertical farming, as novel as it sounds, you would be surprised that vertical farming has traced back to 1900 when the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, showed how plants could be vertically stacked utilising the upward space to its maximum efficiency. The concept was so admired that it was listed in the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World by Hellenic culture. Later after a year, Dickson Despommmier, a Microbiology Professor in Columbia.
What are Dickson Despommmier's Findings?
Dickson Despommmier when saw that vertically stacked plant set-ups yield better per hectare, glorified the term by giving it the "Vertical Farming Name" and later authored the book named, The Vertical Farm: Feeding the World in the 21st Century - which became the top-rated books of all times.
His top findings from the book included
1) Vertical Farming is a Necessity of the 21st Century - Dickson argues that the scenarios do not remain the same. What we eat today easily may not be available as the resource declines. Future-proofing is important. Technological refinement from farm to fork is an absolute must!
2) Every Empty Space Counts - As urbanisation continues to grow and we have more mouths to feed, we must maximise the output with the same effort input. He also emphasised the role of Vertical Farms in growing more food in comparison to the traditional farms.
You would be surprised to know that Vertical farming can produce 50 to 100 times more yield per square foot compared to traditional farming, thanks to its high-density, year-round production capabilities.
3) Potential to Eliminate Agriculture Runoff - Vertical farming reduces the use of soil and water as well as the need for fossil fuel contributing to lower carbon emissions. It also helps restore ecosystems and promote biodiversity.
4) Climate-Friendly Approach - Vertical farming is done in a controlled environment set-up and is not dependent on extreme weather conditions.
5) Sustainable Approach - The approach is sustainable as it allows to grow crops regardless of season, climate or weather.
5) How Does Vertical Farming Work?
Vertical farming grows crops in stacked layers under an artificial set-up known as a Controlled Environment either in a building or any space. Hydroponics or aeroponics provide food to plants, while LED lights resemble sunlight. Plants thrive year-round in controlled humidity and temperature, producing more food per square foot while using less water than traditional agricultural methods. This strategy is also more environmentally friendly and less expensive for urban transportation.
Some of the essential components according to a report by Cropin that are required in how vertical farming works are as follows;
1) The layout of vertical farming is important because it is a decisive factor as to how the plants will be layered.
2) A special type of light known as LED Grow lights is needed in indoor vertical farms. Plants need a certain quantity of light exposure each day to develop and flourish and by this, plants gain extended periods to bloom.
3) The growing medium on which vertical farming is done is most important. Coconut husk and peat mosses are well-known growing mediums.
Techniques of Vertical Farming
1) Hydroponics - Hydroponics in vertical farming is a method in which there is no need for soil and water. The nutrient-enriched water supplies the essential nutrients to the plants. A floating raft system is one of the most common hydroponics setups.
Owning a complete vertical farming set-up is costly.
Read this article on Hydroponics to know more.
https://verticalfarmingshow.com/hydroponic-trade-shows.html
2) Aquaponics - When aquaculture and hydroponics (growing plants without soil) meet, aquaponics is born. Here, fish wastes supply essential nutrients to plants and the plants help filter the water that is then returned to the fish tanks, creating a mutually beneficial ecosystem the best part is that everything is done in a closed-loop system requiring less water and fertilizers.
3) Aeroponics - Aeroponics is also a soil-less method of farming. The amazing part is that here roots are hung in the air and are moistened with the help of a spray bottle.
Vertical farming undoubtedly is an approach in the modern era that is not just being looked up to by the world's policymakers but by the citizens and investors too. The business is proliferating and is an investable option for many who want to sustainably contribute to climate change. But the question is - every time will it reap benefits or not?
We have in detail covered the advantages and disadvantages of vertical farming via our blog. https://verticalfarmingshow.com/advantages-and-disadvantages.html
Innovative Technologies in Vertical Farming
Vertical Farming is an artificial agriculture set-up that depends heavily upon a closed automated system. Which means it requires everything artificial to grow. To monitor the necessary humidity, temperature, gases and light levels in indoor environments.
1) LED Lighting - LED Lightings have careful adjustments to different wavelengths, meaning that they do not hurt the plants. The ample of light is directly related to better growth and hence this is one of the most innovative innovations in the field of vertical farming. According to the research, red and blue LEDs stimulate crop growth.
2) Automated Systems - Vertical farming is done with the help of automation set-up where the intention is to maximize the yield per hectare. Right from how much the water is needed, to what is the level of nutrients needed in the plants, everything should be delivered to plants with utmost carefulness. Automation helps eliminate the levels of labor and rish of human faults.
3) Internet of Things - The success of vertical farming depends on te level of accuracy driven from the data predicted. To understand the crop health, soil potency and favourable environemnetal factors - IOT is best
4) Robotics - Robotics are the next-gen invention in the space of vertical farming. It a leap-forward approach that is not just human's replacement so that they can take care of the other important things but also ensures less efforts and better results.
5) Other Innovative Technogies - This includes growing pots and newest models in vertical stacking systems that helps in renewable energy integration and resources conservation.
We have covered this is our blog named - Container Farming: The Compact Space, Better Produce Alternative
https://verticalfarmingshow.com/container-farming.html
So, we see that Vertical farming is truly an innovative and sustainable alternative to combat two of the most pressing issues - climate change and food security.
