GREENHOUSES I SHADE NET I HYDROPONICS I AQUAPONICS
KNOW ABOUT VERTICAL FARMING PRODUCTION
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urrently, 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, that 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.
6 Undercover farming I May/June 2022 I Volume 19 No 3
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 Figure 1: Vertical farming operation utilizing hydroponic A-Frames
When it comes to vertical farming, there are three main system types: (1) hydroponics, (2) aquaponic, and (3) growing-media based systems. Hydroponics Vertical Farming In hydroponics 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 nutrientrich fish water that has been filtered, converted to nitrates, and supplemented for limiting nutrients deficient in aquaponic systems.
