VERTICAL FARMING

Our ancestors first learned to farm nearly 12,000 years ago. By cultivating and domesticating seeds, these once hunter-gatherers broke away from their nomadic lifestyles, settled down to produce controlled and reliable food sources (weather permitting, of course) and, little did they know, change the course of the planet’s future.?

Fast forward to the 20th century when a group of architects started planning to alter food production in their own way. They aimed to decreased dependency on traditional land-based farms and harness spatial efficiency in our dense built environment; think less wide-open spaces with tractors and more structures growing stacked layers of crops. This practice—widely referred to as “indoor” or “vertical farming” (taken from Gilbert Ellis Bailey’s 1915 book of the same name)—is alive and booming today, and especially in the New York metro area.?

Columbia University professor emeritus and ecologist Dickson Despommier helped to envision the modern?vertical farm?and indoor agriculture while teaching a graduate-level course in 1999. His students realized that simply using rooftop gardens would been grossly insufficient to feeding the population of Manhattan so in line with urban agriculture predecessors, he began researching different techniques and structures. Despommier is among several academics and vertical farming thought leaders who see vertical farming today as part of the answer to a range of global problems (many partly caused by agriculture) including climate change and water scarcity.?

There are a lot of ways to farm indoors and below are three different soilless processes recommended by Despommier. Done properly at various scales, they’re as effective as at growing crops in skyscrapers as they are in 500 square foot studio apartments:?

Hydroponics?

One of the oldest and most common methods of vertical farming, hydroponics includes growing plants without soil and in a water solvent containing mineral nutrients. The simplest hydroponic method (called the floating raft system) suspends the plants in soilless raft like a polystyrene sheet and lets the roots hang to absorb the oxygen-aerated solution. Another common method is the nutrient film technique, which is popular for growing lettuce. Here, a stream of the nutrient-dissolved solution is pumped into an angled channel, typically a plastic pipe, containing the plants. This runs past the plants’ root mat and can then be recirculated for continuous use. New York’s Gotham Greens and Square Roots use hydroponics.?

Aeroponics?

It’s no surprise that NASA has been backing research on aeroponic growth for the past two decades as it’s free-floating-roots aesthetic is typically used in futuristic sci-fi movies. With aeroponics, the dangling roots absorb a fine mist comprised of an atomized version of the nutrient solution sprayed directly onto the roots by a pump. Although aeroponics enables plants to grow much more quickly than hydroponics, it requires more solution and therefore is more costly. Newark’s Aerofarms uses aeroponics.?

Aquaponics?

Like hydroponic systems, an aquaponic system contains a soil-free plant bed suspended over a body of water containing nutrients necessary for plant growth. But within the body of water is a population of fish (typically herbivores) that produce waste that function as fertilizer for the plants. In turn, the plants help purify the water to make the water suitable for the fish.?

Given that a balance must be achieved to ensure the system of both life forms, aquaponics requires greater attention than hydroponics or aeroponics although filtration and aeration systems can help manage these complications. Furthermore, the types of plants one can grow are much more limited as the necessary plant nutrients must be compatible with those necessary for the fish.?

Vertical farming app software for sustainable food production maximize profit, traceability, efficiency. Full farm inventory, site bay, row, column, rack, and shelf mapping with bar-code or RFID. Vertical farming cost reports, harvest management.

Vertical farming is the practice of growing crops in vertically stacked layers.[1] It often incorporates controlled-environment agriculture, which aims to optimize plant growth, and soilless farming techniques such as hydroponics, aquaponics, and aeroponics.] Some common choices of structures to house vertical farming systems include buildings, shipping containers, tunnels, and abandoned mine shafts. As of 2020, there is the equivalent of about 30 ha (74 acres) of operational vertical farmland in the world.]?

The modern concept of vertical farming was proposed in 1999?by Dickson Despommier, professor of Public and Environmental Health at Columbia University. Despommier and his students came up with a design of a skyscraper farm that could feed 50,000 people. Although the design has not yet been built, it successfully popularized the idea of vertical farming.[4] Current applications of vertical farmings coupled with other state-of-the-art technologies, such as specialized LED lights, have resulted in over 10 times the crop yield than would receive through traditional farming methods.

The main advantage of utilizing vertical farming technologies is the increased crop yield that comes with a smaller unit area of land requirement.[6] The increased ability to cultivate a larger variety of crops at once because crops do not share the same plots of land while growing is another sought-after advantage. Additionally, crops are resistant to weather disruptions because of their placement indoors, meaning fewer crops are lost to extreme or unexpected weather occurrences. Because of its limited land usage, vertical farming is less disruptive to the native plants and animals, leading to further conservation of the local flora and fauna.

Vertical farming technologies face economic challenges with large start-up costs compared to traditional farms. In Victoria, Australia, a "hypothetical 10 level vertical farm" would cost over 850 times more per square meter of arable land than a traditional farm in rural Victoria. Vertical farms also face large energy demands due to the use of supplementary light like LEDs. Moreover, if non-renewable energy is used to meet these energy demands, vertical farms could produce more pollution than traditional farms or greenhouses.

What You Should Know About Vertical Farming Production?

Vertical farm?

Currently, the global human population exceeds more than 7.85 billion, but this number is expected to increase to 9.8 billion by 2050— with more than 75% of people expected to be living in urban areas. Accompanied with this population growth will also be an increase in demand on already stressed food, water, and energy resources needed to sustain this growth. Thus, new agricultural systems that offer sustainable food production will be essential to meet these demands.?

One such system, many believe can meet these demands, is vertical farming. But, what exactly is vertical farming and why do many people believe that? Let’s find out!?

What is Vertical Farming??

Simply put, vertical farming is the practice of growing plants in vertically stacked layers. This method of horticulture seeks to maximize plant space utilization and production by scaling up off the ground, allowing more plants to be grown in the same area. Additionally, it can be applied to current horticultural practices, ranging from small-scale hydroponics to large-scale controlled environmental agriculture operations, and has the potential to produce year-round production at practically any location if coupled with the right techniques!?

So, how does it work, what plants are grown, and more importantly, is it sustainable??

Basic Components of a Vertical Farm?

Vertical farm types can be broken down into three main components: the (1) system structure, (2) electrical structure, and (3) plumbing structure (see figure below). These three aspects are vital to consider as they will dictate where a system can be located, what crops can be grown in them, and the resources that will be required to build one. They should be considered before starting a vertical farming operation.?

Types of Vertical Farms?

Vertical farming utilizing hydroponic A-Frames?

Figure 1: Vertical farming operation utilizing hydroponic A-Frames?

When it comes to vertical farming, there are three main system types: (1) hydroponic, (2) aquaponic, and (3) growing-media based systems.?

Hydroponic Vertical Farming?

In hydroponic vertical farming, an aqueous solution comprised of all essential nutrients needed for optimal plant growth is supplied to plants. Examples of this type of vertical farming includes modified hydroponics systems, such as nutrient film technique (Ex. A-Frame and vertical grow towers), deep water culture (DWC), and aeroponics.?

Aquaponic Vertical Farming?

Conversely, in aquaponic vertical farming, fish production is integrated with plant production utilizing hydroponic system designs. However, instead of fertilizing plants with an aqueous solution comprised of all essential nutrients, plants are alternatively fertilized with nutrient-rich fish water that has been filtered, converted to nitrates, and supplemented for limiting nutrients deficient in aquaponic systems.?

Growing Media Vertical Farms?

Lastly, in growing-media vertical farms, plants are cultivated in a soilless media (Ex. rockwool, coir, perlite, etc.) and then supplied with a water-nutrient solution. Examples of this system type include modified ebb and flow, wick, and raised bed systems that have been stacked on top of one another or moved into vertically designed structures.?

Plant Requirements?

In addition to vertical farming components and system types, it is also important to take into consideration how the plants will be grown and their individual requirements! For example, will they be grown outside or indoors? If they are to be grown indoors, are the proper systems in place? Is air circulation required? How does shading affect the crop quality??

In general, plants have four basic requirements to grow properly: nutrients, carbon dioxide, water, and light. Each of these factors should be addressed before upgrading a facility or opening a vertical farm.?

Plant Selection?

Vertical farming systems can be used to grow a wide array of plants, such as vegetables, fruits, herbs, and even flowering plants. However, before plant selection takes place, it is important to first consider the above aforementioned factors to determine if it will be economically viable!?

Currently, the most commonly grown commercial vertical farming crops include lettuce, microgreens, kale, basil, chives, mint, and strawberries.?

hydroponic vertical grower towers and large indoor vertical farming operation?

Growing Media Selection for Vertical Farming?

The best media to select for a vertical farming system is one that promotes good air porosity, drainage, and nutrient retention. This is necessary to assure that plants do not stay drenched for prolonged periods of time, while also providing a good structure for newly developing root systems to grow in.?

PRO-MIX offers several exceptional growing media products designed to establish the proper foundation essential for vertical growing. These products include PRO-MIX BX, and PRO-MIX MP ORGANIK. PRO-MIX BX is a well-balanced, general purpose growing medium that has a blend of medium textured Sphagnum peat moss, perlite, vermiculite and a starter nutrient charge suited for large cell cultivation.?

For organic growers, PRO-MIX MP ORGANIK is a medium textured growing medium that is OMRI listed. Furthermore, each of these products are available with active ingredients, including BIOFUNGICIDE + MYCORRHIZAE, that help to protect roots systems from certain root diseases and improve nutrient uptake for enhanced plant growth.?

What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Vertical Farming??

Finally, when it comes to growing vertical farming, this method offers a variety of benefits over other plant production practices. Such benefits associated with vertical farming include higher rates of production, improved crop quality, lower water usage, reduced fertilizer usage, reduced area required for production, and the potential for year-round production at just about any location. These systems can be quite profitable and have the potential to be part of environmental solutions if properly designed and managed.?

Nonetheless, it is important to note that there are drawbacks associated with vertical farming. First, these systems can be seen as “high risk”. For example, they are very energy intensive and require that backup systems be in place in case of power outages. Second, they require a high level of technical “know how” to operate and can be costly to set up, monitor, and maintain. Lastly, these systems can be more susceptible to water-borne diseases or pests, which once in the system, can quickly spread from plant to plant due to the interconnectedness of these systems.?

For these reasons caution and planning is advised. In cases where growing media is used, the addition of biological additive ingredients can be beneficial to reduce the onset of plant root diseases and reduce plant loss.

Vertical farming app software for sustainable food production maximize profit, traceability, efficiency. Full farm inventory, site bay, row, column, rack, and shelf mapping with bar-code or RFID. Vertical farming cost reports, harvest management.

Vertical Farming: Concept, Techniques & Advantages?

team prakati September 4, 2020?

Vertical Farming: Concept, Techniques & Advantages?

As urban populations continue to rise, innovators are looking beyond traditional farming as a way to feed everyone while having less impact on our land and water resources. Vertical farming is one such solution that’s been implemented around the world.?

By Vertical Farming, food crops can be cultivated easily in urban areas by planting in vertically stacked layers in order to save space and use minimal energy and water for irrigation.?

In India, Vertical Farming is at nascent stages, however, there are few startups & agri-tech companies working to revolutionise the field.?

Background & Concept of Vertical Farming?

In 1915, Gilbert Ellis Bailey coined the term “vertical farming” and wrote a book titled “Vertical Farming”. In the early 1930s, William Frederick Gerick pioneered hydroponics at the University of California at Berkley.?

In the 1980s, ?ke Olsson, a Swedish ecological farmer, invented a spiral-shaped rail system for growing plants and suggested vertical farming as a means for producing vegetables in cities.?

The modern concept of vertical farming was proposed in 1999 by Professor Dickson Despommier. His concept was to grow the food in urban areas itself utilizing less distance and saving the time inbringing the food produced in rural areas to the cities.?

He intended in growing food within urban environments and thus have fresher foods available faster and at lower costs. Consequently, Vertical farming is conceptualised as cultivating and producing crops/ plants in vertically stacked layers and vertically inclined surfaces.?

In the physical layout, the plants are vertically stacked in a tower-like structure. This way, the area required to grow plants in minimised. Next, a combination of natural lights and artificial lights is used to maintain a perfect environment for an efficient growth of the plants. The third parameter is the growing medium for the plants. Instead of soil, aeroponic, hydroponic or aquaponic growing mediums are used as the growing medium.?

As the technique becomes scientific, efficiency of the process increases and as a result, vertical farming becomes sustainable requiring 95% less water as compared to other farming methods.?

Techniques of Vertical Farming?

1. Hydroponics?

It is a method of growing food in water using mineral nutrient solutions without soil.The basic advantages of this method is that it reduces soil-related cultivation problems like soil borne insects, pest and diseases.?

Hydroponics farm?

Image Source: Wikipedia?

2. Aeroponics?

The invention of aeroponics was motivated by the initiative of NASA (the National Aeronautical and Space Administration, USA) to find an efficient way to grow plants in space in the 1990s.?

In aeroponics, there is no growing medium and hence, no containers for growing crops. In aeroponics, mist or nutrient solutions are used instead of water. As the plants are tied to a support and roots are sprayed with nutrient solution, it requires very less space, very less water and no soil.?

Aeroponics?

Image Source: NASA?

3. Aquaponics?

The term aquaponics is coined by combining two words: aquaculture, which refers to fish farming, and hydroponics—the technique of growing plants without soil, to create symbiotic relationships between the plants and the fish.?

The symbiosis is achieved as nutrient-rich waste from fish tanks serves as “fertigate” to hydroponic production beds. In turn, the hydroponic beds also function as bio-filters that remove gases, acids, and chemicals, such as ammonia, nitrates, and phosphates, from the water.?

Additionally, the gravel beds provide habitats for nitrifying bacteria, which augment the nutrient cycling and filter water. Consequently, the freshly cleansed water can be recirculated into the fish tanks.?

Aquaponics with Catfish?

Image Source: Wikipedia?

Advantages of Vertical Farming?

Vertical Farming has several advantages, which makes it promising for the future of agriculture. The land requirement is quite low, water consumption is 80 percent less, the water is recycled and saved, it is pesticide-free and in cases of high-tech farms there is no real dependency on the weather.?

A vertical farm makes farming within the confines of a city, a reality. And when the farms are nearby, the produce is quickly delivered and always fresh; when compared to the refrigerated produce usually available at supermarkets. Reduction in transportation reduces the fossil fuel cost & resulting emissions and thus also reduce the spoilage in transportation.?

However, like everything else vertical farming has its own drawbacks. Initial capital costs for establishing the vertical farming system is the major problem. In addition there are costs of erecting the structures along with its automation like computerized and monitoring systems, remote control systems and software’s, automated racking and stacking systems, programmable LED lighting systems, climate control system.

What are the different types of vertical farming systems??

Answer: Vertical farms come in different shapes and sizes, from simple two-level or wall-mounted systems to large warehouses several stories tall. But all vertical farms use one of three soil-free systems for providing nutrients to plants?hydroponic, aeroponic, or aquaponic. The following information describes these three growing systems:1. Hydroponics. The predominant growing system used in vertical farms, hydroponics involves growing plants in nutrient solutions that are free of soil. The plant roots are submerged in the nutrient solution, which is frequently monitored and circulated to ensure that the correct chemical composition is maintained.2. Aeroponics. The National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) is responsible for developing this innovative indoor growing technique. In the 1990s, NASA was interested in finding efficient ways to grow plants in space and coined the term aeroponics, defined as “growing plants in an air/mist environment with no soil and very little water.”Aeroponics systems are still an anomaly in the vertical farming world, but they are attracting significant interest. An aeroponic system is by far the most efficient plant-growing system for vertical farms, using up to 90% less water than even the most efficient hydroponic systems. Plants grown in these aeroponic systems have also been shown to uptake more minerals and vitamins, making the plants healthier and potentially more nutritious. 3. Aquaponics. An aquaponic system takes the hydroponic system one step further, combining plants and fish in the same ecosystem. Fish are grown in indoor ponds, producing nutrient-rich waste that is used as a feed source for the plants in the vertical farm. The plants, in turn, filter and purify the wastewater, which is recycled to the fish ponds.Although aquaponics is used in smaller-scale vertical farming systems, most commercial vertical farm systems focus on producing only a few fast-growing vegetable crops and don’t include an aquaponics component. This simplifies the economics and production issues and maximizes efficiency. However, new standardized aquaponic systems may help make this closed-cycle system more popular.Vertical farming systems can be further classified by the type of structure that houses the system.Building-based vertical farms are often housed in abandoned buildings in cities, such as Chicago’s “The Plant” vertical farm that was constructed in an old pork-packing plant. Shipping-container vertical farms are an increasingly popular option. These vertical farms use 40-foot shipping containers, normally in service carrying goods around the world. Shipping containers are being refurbished by several companies into self-contained vertical farms, complete with LED lights, drip-irrigation systems, and vertically stacked shelves for starting and growing a variety of plants. These self-contained units have computer controlled growth management systems that allow users to monitor all systems remotely from a smart phone or computer. To learn more, consult the ATTRA publication Vertical Farming. This publication introduces commercial-scale vertical farming and discusses the recent growth of vertical farms in urban areas. It describes the major types of vertical farms and discusses environmental issues with vertical farms. The publication includes a list of the major vertical farms in the United States and lists further resources.