Vertical Farming | A Deep Dive Into Its Future
Are you feeling hungry? No worries!
Daydream of walking into a grocery store to get lettuce, basil, strawberries, and tomatoes freshly picked from a nearby farm just hours ago. Isn’t it mouthwatering?
Everything so fresh!
Vertical farming enables growing crops indoors with controlled light, temperature, water, and CO2 levels, resulting in fresh produce that travels only a few miles to grocery stores, unlike conventional produce that takes thousands of miles.
In addition to fresh local produce, vertical agriculture provides a solution to meet growing food demands and population growth.
With a projected global population of over 9 billion by 2050 and a majority living in urban areas, growing food close to these populations while reducing transportation emissions, providing nutrient-rich produce, and conserving water are crucial.
An Initiative by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
The USDA and DOE (the Department of Energy) recently held a workshop to examine vertical agriculture and sustainable urban ecosystems, with experts presenting and discussing topics such as plant breeding and pest management. The workshop report will inform USDA’s research priorities and funding opportunities for stakeholders and researchers.
The potential of vertical agriculture in addressing food security has USDA and NIFA (National Institute for Food and Agriculture) offering funding opportunities for research and conferences. And ARS (the Agricultural Research Service) works to improve tomato production and quality in greenhouses.
Innovative Technologies for Vertical Farming
Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Components
- Dosing Systems
- Sterilization Systems
- UV Sterilization
- Chemical Disinfection
- Ozone Sanitation
- Recapturing Water From Moist
Lighting
- Fluorescent Grow Lights
- Tubular Grow Lights
- Compact Fluorescent Lights
- High-Pressure Sodium Lights (HPS)
- LED Lighting
Air Control
- CO2 Enrichment
- CO2 Gassing
- Compressed CO2
- Misting Aqueous CO2 by CO2 Delivery Solutions
- Air Flow
- Air Humidity
The Internet of Things (IoT)
- Sensors
- Image Processing for Evaluating Plants’ Health and Maturity
- Vertical Layout of Farms
- Nurseries and Systems for Growing Seedlings
The Last Words
Growing crops indoors has the potential to revolutionize agriculture.
Climate-controlled environments allow crops to be grown year-round, independent of weather conditions.
Moreover, controlled environments can optimize growing conditions, leading to higher yields and more efficient use of space.
Also, crops can be grown closer to consumer markets, reducing transportation costs and waste.
Last but not least, controlled environments can eliminate the need for pesticides, reducing contamination and improving food safety.
However, it is essential to note that indoor agriculture has limitations and challenges, such as high energy and water consumption, and the need for specialized equipment and technology.
But let’s stay tuned for the upcoming technologies that are gonna make farming much easier!
