Earth’s population is growing and food becoming not only a commodity but a luxury for some regions where the climate is not very forgiving. It’s only natural that scientists have begun researching alternatives to conventional farming. One of the best examples is vertical farming – a practice which has already been put to the test with astonishing results!
What is vertical farming?
According to Wikipedia, vertical farming is «the practice of producing food and medicine in vertically stacked layers, vertically inclined surfaces and/or integrated into other structures (such as in a skyscraper, used warehouse, or shipping container).»
There are already numerous startups and companies which challenge the traditional «horizontal» approach by incorporating techniques from indoor farming and controlled-environment agriculture.
Why go vertical?
Imagine a world where you’re not dependent upon climate or available space to grow food to meet an ever-increasing demand. Countries which have a mild climate and plenty of land will be suffering less, but what about the rest of the world? Or, what about bringing down the costs for transportation by having vertical farms just outside your city?
The possibilities are endless. And this isn’t even a cliche in this case – farmers around the globe have already started using the new techniques and literally savoring the results! Head over to this website to learn more about the movement.
Some companies use old warehouses, some buy out old shipping containers, some build innovative structures – vertical farming doesn’t care much about what you are going to use. The only thing that matters is how creative you are in developing your idea, and how capricious the plants you want to grow – some don’t need almost any environmental control, while others require a strict program to thrive.
What are the advantages?
1. Year-round crop production
No need to worry about frosts, winds, sunny days. No need to worry about seasons. All you need to do is introduce a well-controlled environment and be able to supply your vertical farm with seeds, the needed soil-substitutes and nutrients.
2. You will need less water
Some scientists and advocates of vertical farming say you’ll only need 10-30% of the water you would need if you’re using traditional horizontal farming. Good news, as water can be an issue for farmers in certain regions!
3. Future-proof
Urbanization is growing and soon the majority of people will be living in cities. What this means is that people will have fewer options to get fresh produce regularly. Vertical farming solves this problem – farms can be built near cities, or even in them.
4. Weather-proof
As we’ve already mentioned, there’s no need to worry about climate conditions (except for hurricanes and tornadoes, maybe!). Modern solutions will provide farmers with the ability to control air, light, humidity, temperature and other important factors for a healthy harvest.
What are the downsides?
Vertical farming, like any other new technology, has shortcomings. Pollination is probably the biggest since the crops are being grown in an insect-free environment. Other problems are a shortage of highly-skilled workers needed to attend the facilities, as well as technology-dependence. These issues have yet to be addressed.
What do you think – are you interested in vertical farming? If yes, where will you start?
