Can vertical farming revolutionize agriculture?

We have to revolutionize our food production methods to deal with several problems threatening our civilization on earth. Population is growing, more people are living in urban areas, more regions on earth are becoming developed and this is changing the lifestyle of a greater percentage of worlds population who have similar hunger for consuming like US citizen. This is putting a huge stress on limited resources the Earth can offer us. Agriculture is the first consumer of fresh water, and in many countries even a small decrease in water consumption in this sector can solve the drinking water problem of the entire nation.

Food production in traditional agricultural farms are in most cases inefficient. A considerable amount of products end up as wastes at the source of production. Health problems as a result of using pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers have been a concern for many years. Transporting agricultural products, especially those which are consumed fresh has a great carbon footprint.

One solution might be the vertical farming. In this post we discuss about what vertical farming is and if it could revolutionize our agriculture and food production.

What is Vertical Farming

Vertical Farming is the practice of growing crops in vertically stacked layers, usually in controlled environments. The main objective of vertical farming is optimizing production, using soil-less methods such as hydroponic, aquaponic and aeroponic, but traditional method of planting plants in soils is also applicable.

As this method produces more products compared to traditional methods per area, it is applicable in places that we can find near or within big cities. Vertical farmers have more control on the condition the plants are growing in and by using less pesticides, herbicides, they can produce healthier food.

Advantages of Vertical Farming

The main advantage of utilizing vertical farming technologies is the increased crop yield that comes with a smaller unit area of land requirement. Another advantage is the increased ability to cultivate a larger variety of crops at once because crops do not share the same plots of land while growing. Additionally, crops are resistant to weather disruptions because of their placement indoors, meaning fewer crops are lost to extreme or unexpected weather occurrences.

Water consumption in vertical farming is substantially less than traditional method, and the environmental impact of this methods is much lower, since one important source of pollutants for water resources is chemicals used in the process of traditional farming.

By allocating abandoned spaces in big cities for vertical farming the cost and impact of transporting a huge amount of agriculture products to big cities, decreases.

How Can Vertical Farming Revolutionize Food Production

Vertical farming has the potential to revolutionize agriculture in a number of ways. It can:

• Produce more food in less space. Vertical farms can be built in urban areas, where land is scarce. This can help to reduce food miles and improve food security.
• Use less water. Vertical farms can use water more efficiently than traditional farms. This is because they can control the amount of water that is used and can recycle water.
• Reduce the use of pesticides and herbicides. Vertical farms can be controlled environments, which means that they can be protected from pests and diseases. This can reduce the need for pesticides and herbicides.
• Improve the quality of food. Vertical farms can be used to grow crops that are free of pollutants and pesticides. This can improve the health of consumers.

Disadvantages of Vertical Farming

However, there are also some challenges that need to be addressed before vertical farming can become a widespread practice. These challenges include:

• The cost of setting up and operating a vertical farm is high. This is due to the cost of the technology and the labor required to maintain the farm.
• Vertical farms are not suitable for all crops. Some crops, such as tall field crops, cannot be grown in vertical farms.
• Vertical farms are still a relatively new technology. This means that there is still some uncertainty about their long-term viability.

Despite these challenges, vertical farming has the potential to play a significant role in the future of agriculture. As the world's population continues to grow and the demand for food increases, vertical farming could be a way to meet this demand in a sustainable way.

Who is Doing Vertical Farming or Considering It?

Here are some examples of vertical farms that are already in operation:

• AeroFarms: AeroFarms is a vertical farm in Newark, New Jersey. It uses aeroponics, a method of growing plants in a mist of nutrients. AeroFarms can produce up to 300 times more food per square foot than a traditional farm.
• Spread: The Good Food Company: Spread is a vertical farm in Denver, Colorado. It uses hydroponics, a method of growing plants in water without soil. Spread can produce up to 25 times more food per square foot than a traditional farm.
• 80 Acres Farms: 80 Acres Farms is a vertical farm in Columbus, Ohio. It uses a combination of hydroponics and aeroponics. 80 Acres Farms can produce up to 100 times more food per square foot than a traditional farm.

As the technology continues to develop and the cost of vertical farming decreases, it is likely that this type of farming will become more widespread. UAE government and other Gulf countries are also interested in vertical farming, in the direction of their objective of becoming food independent.