Vertical Farming

In vertical farming, crops are grown in layers that are stacked vertically. It often uses soilless farming methods like hydroponics, aquaponics, and aeroponics, as well as controlled-environment agriculture, which is a way to help plants grow as well as possible. Buildings, shipping containers, tunnels, and old mine shafts are some of the most common places to put vertical farming systems. As of 2020, there will be about 30 ha (74 acres) of vertical farmland around the world that is being used. Dickson Despommier, a professor of Public and Environmental Health at Columbia University, came up with the idea of vertical farming as we know it today in 1999. Together with his students, Despommier made a plan for a skyscraper farm that could feed 50,000 people. Even though the design hasn’t been built yet, it did a good job of getting people interested in vertical farming. Combining vertical farming with other cutting-edge technologies like LED lights has led to a crop yield that is more than 10 times higher than what would be possible with traditional farming methods.

What is Vertical Farming?

Vertical farming is just what it sounds like: it is a way to farm on vertical surfaces instead of the traditional way, which is to farm on the ground. Farmers can grow a lot more food on the same amount of land if they stack their crops vertically. Often, these layers are built into buildings like skyscrapers, warehouses, shipping containers, greenhouses (like ours), or other places where farming wouldn’t normally be possible.

Types of Vertical Farms

1. Hydroponics

It is a way to grow food without soil by putting mineral nutrient solutions in water.

The main benefit of this method is that it makes it easier to grow plants without problems like insects, pests, and diseases that come from the soil.

2. Aeroponics

NASA, the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration, wanted to find a good way to grow plants in space in the 1990s. This led to the development of aeroponics.

In aeroponics, there is no growing medium, so there is no need for containers.. As the plants are tied to a support and a nutrient solution is sprayed on the roots, very little space, very little water, and no soil are needed.

3. Aquaponics

The hydroponic system goes one step further with an aquaponic system, which grows both plants and fish in the same ecosystem. Fish are raised in ponds inside, and their waste, which is full of nutrients, is used to feed the plants in the vertical farm. In turn, the plants clean and filter the wastewater, which is then sent back to the fish ponds.

But most commercial vertical farms focus on growing only a few fast-growing vegetable crops and don’t use aquaponics. But new standardised aquaponic systems may help make this closed-cycle system more popular.

The type of building that holds the system is another way to divide vertical farming systems.

Building-based vertical farms like “The Plant” in Chicago, which was built in an old pork-packing plant, are often in old, empty buildings in cities. Vertical farms also use new building construction, like the new multi-story vertical farm that is being added to a parking lot structure in downtown Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Vertical farms in shipping containers are becoming more and more popular. The containers for these farms are 40 feet long and are usually used to ship goods around the world. Several companies are turning old shipping containers into self-contained vertical farms. These farms have LED lights, drip irrigation systems, and shelves that are stacked vertically so that plants can be started and grown. 

Pros of Vertical Farming

As we’ve already said, vertical farming has a lot of good points. In this section, we’ll talk about it in more depth.

1. Ensures Consistent Crop Production

One of the best things about vertical farming is that it is very trustworthy. This means that if you choose vertical farming, you can be sure to get the same amount of crops all year long.

2. Uses Space Optimally

If you know anything about farming, you probably know that you need several acres of completely fertile land to do it the traditional way. Vertical farming, on the other hand, doesn’t have any such requirements.

3. Reduces Usage of Water

One of the best things about vertical farming is that it uses hydroponics to grow plants, which means that only 10% of the water is used. Compared to traditional ways of farming, this method uses less fertilizer and nutrients. Since the water is still clean after it has been used, it can be used again. This lowers the total cost and reduces waste.

Cons of Vertical Farming

Vertical farming has its own cons, just like everything else. In this part, we will look more closely at these problems.

1. Less Pollination

Vertical farming, as you probably already know, is done in a controlled, indoor setting. This has many benefits, but it also makes it harder for insects to get in. That means that almost all of the pollination process is stopped.

2. Technology Dependent

Creating new, more advanced technologies can improve efficiency and cut costs at the same time. Vertical farming depends on technology, so it is likely to have both of the above benefits.

3. Affects Communities

This is yet another problem that economists have talked a lot about. One of the biggest problems with vertical farming is that it could affect and even upset the balance of communities that depend almost entirely on agriculture.

Conclusion

In vertical farming, there is less use of water and land, and there is also less waste. Also, because crops are grown in a controlled environment, they are safe from pests and diseases. Water is used 70–95% less in vertical farming than in traditional farming. Vertical farming needs 90% less soil or none at all, so there are no pests or diseases. Food that is pesticide-free or organic is made without the use of pesticides.