Vertical farming: a new approach to cultivate
In a world where we observe a striking growth in population and urbanization, it’s simple to overlook the origins of our food. However, these profound transformations have particularly challenged the realm of food production.
UN estimates a global population of 9.8 billion people by the year 2050[1], and a staggering 70% of that population residing in urban areas[2]. The result? An insatiable demand for food is set to reach unprecedented heights.
The crisis in agriculture has become a pressing concern for nations worldwide. But behold there is still hope: the world of vertical farming. This is not your grandma’s farm; this is agriculture reimagined, reborn, and reaching for the sky. Imagine towering structures, reaching skyward, made of layers upon layers of thriving crops, all grown indoors in controlled environments, (Kozai T, 2019).
Researchers have found that by employing a 10-meter-tall structure solely for wheat production, vertical farms have the potential to yield 600 times more food per unit of land area compared to traditional farming methods, (Vahid Arabzadeh et al., 2022). You read that right — 600 times! That’s the sort of revolution that turns heads and makes you question everything you thought you knew about food production.
But what’s the secret sauce behind these sky-scraping gardens? Technology. Artificial lighting mimics the sun’s rays, while carefully calibrated sensors provide meticulous control over vital factors like temperature, humidity, lighting, and air quality. Additionally, data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies provide the right amount of nutrients to optimize plant growth and resource utilization.
What’s even more breath-taking is the resource efficiency. Traditional agriculture consumes vast amounts of water, often contributing to water scarcity. On the other hand, vertical farming reduces water usage by a staggering 90%, conserving this precious resource for generations to come. Moreover, it gives a firm handshake to the Earth’s soil, embracing hydroponics. In this system, plants dance in a nutrient-rich solution instead of soil, resulting in stronger, healthier crops.
Nevertheless, all that glitters is not gold, vertical farming is not the ultimate solution for worldwide agriculture.
On the surface, vertical farming seems like a dream come true. But here’s the kicker: vertical farming’s exclusivity might just send a shiver down your spine. Will this innovation democratize food access or create a deeper divide between the haves and the have-nots? With premium pricing and high input costs, there’s a real risk that vertical farming becomes a playground for the elite, leaving others to watch from the sidelines.
Yet, in this whirlwind of challenges and opportunities, visionaries like Daniele Modesto of Zero Vertical Farms stand tall. His ground-breaking project shown at FUTURESHOTS 2023 in H-FARM ushers in a new era, redefining how we cultivate, market, and consume food within a single towering structure. “Zero food miles” becomes more than just a catchphrase — it’s a tangible, energy-saving reality.
Imagine a 218-meter-tall skyscraper in the heart of a bustling metropolis, where the concrete jungle meets a vertical oasis of fresh, homegrown produce. Carlo Ratti and Daniele Modesto’s vision is set to redefine the way we think about food production and urban living.
This 51-story marvel isn’t just about height; it’s about feeding a city in a whole new way. With a whopping 10,000 square meters dedicated to vertical hydroponic farming using cutting-edge aeroponics, this tower isn’t just scraping the sky; it’s cultivating life within its walls. It’s estimated to churn out 270 tonnes of food each year, enough to satiate the appetites of roughly 40,000 people.
An “AI-supported virtual agronomist” ensures that every aspect of the growth, from irrigation to environmental conditions and nutrition, is meticulously managed. It’s a marriage of nature and technology, providing us with an awe-inspiring vision of what the future of farming could look like.
But here’s the plot twist: this isn’t a visionary concept; it’s a real-life project.
[1] (United Nations, 2017)
[2] (The world bank, 2023)
[3] (SRM Urban Farm Centre, s.d.)
References:
Kozai T, N. G. T. M., 2019. Plant Factory: An Indoor Vertical Farming System for Efficient Quality Food production. 2nd edition ed. s.l.:s.n.
Roberto Velazquez-Gonzalez et al., 2022. A Review on Hydroponics and the Technologies Associated for Medium- and Small-Scale Operations. Agriculture, 29 April.12(646).
Zahida Rashid et al., 2020. Hydroponics — A Review. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences, August.
Vahid Arabzadeh et al., 2022. Urban vertical farming with a large wind power share and optimised electricity costs. Applied Energy.
Kurt Benke & Bruce Tomkins, 2017. Future food-production systems: vertical farming and controlled-environment agriculture. Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy.
Syed Abreez Gillani et al, 2022. Comparison of Energy-use Efficiency for Lettuce Plantation under Nutrient Film Technique and Deep-Water Culture Hydroponic System. Procedia Computer Science .
ZipGrow, 2016. Indoor Hydroponic Farming: Costs and Profits. [Online]
Available at: https://zipgrow.com/indoor-hydroponic-farming-costs-profits/
Young, D. G. a. S., 2023. Going Green with Hydroponics: 6 Environmental Benefits of Water-Based Agriculture. [Online]
Available at: https://axaxl.com/fast-fast-forward/articles/going-green-with-hydroponics#:~:text=Unlike%20traditional%20soil%2Dbased%20agriculture,usage%2C%20and%20sustainable%20crop%20production.
WISE freshwater, n.d. Environmental Policies. [Online]
Available at: https://water.europa.eu/freshwater/policy-and-reporting/environmental-policies
Zipin, J., 2019. Food For Thought: Is Vertical Farming An Ethical Way To Feed The World?. [Online]
Available at: https://medium.com/@jzipdamonsta/food-for-thought-is-vertical-farming-an-ethical-way-to-feed-the-world-f729530fb671
Elvira Molin & Michael Alan Martin, 2018. Assessing the energy and environmental performance of vertical hydroponic farming.
Dr Phillip Davis et al., 2016. From hydroponics to underground farms: How can urban farming best contribute to long-term food security?, s.l.: Business Forum.
