The latin word hydroponics is a combination of the words hydro (water) and ponics (system structure or technology). Hydroponics literally translates from the Latin for “labor in water or water system structure.” Due to its great efficiency and the fact that it can be set up quickly and easily without the help of professionals, the hydroponics system has quickly become one of the best in popularity and widely used soil-less agricultural method. Soilless cultivation, in the context of horticulture agriculture, refers to any system that facilitates the growth of plants in soilless conditions, whether or not a developing medium is used (Goddek, 2019). The prevalence of soil-borne diseases is a major problem in conventional farming, which is mitigated by the use of a soilless farming method (hydroponic system). Since the open loop hydroponic system wastes water, the closed loop hydroponic system, which employs water recycling techniques, is the more popular choice.
One of the most significant worldwide dangers in terms of probability and impact is water scarcity and the social implications it brings about (Howell, 2013). Climate change, climate variability, and shifting socioeconomic conditions all contribute to water shortage in specific regions, necessitating ongoing adaptation on the part of institutions and governments responsible for managing fresh water resources. Regional and worldwide water scarcity have worsened during the past decades due to shifting hydro-climatic and socioeconomic conditions (Kummu et al., 2010). In the future, water scarcity is predicted to worsen globally due to climate change, projected population expansion, and rising water demand (Kiguchi et al., 2015). Although long-term shifts in socioeconomic and hydro-climatic conditions have been the primary focus of water scarcity studies, hydro-climatic inter-annual variability has been largely ignored. This is problematic because for catastrophic events like droughts and floods in a changing climate, changes in variability may be more important than changes in average conditions (Mason and Calow, 2012). Areas that only occasionally face water scarcity may be disregarded if the climatically induced inter-annual fluctuation in the availability of water resources (i.e. hydro-climatic variability) is ignored. On the other hand, places labeled as “scarcity of water” established on hydro-climatic mean circumstances don’t actually face scarcity of water every year (Mason and Calow, 2012; Kummu et al., 2014).
The relative influence of such forces on future water scarcity situations may also be misinterpreted in research that use such multi-year averages with regard to hydro-climatic or socio-economic variables (Kummu et al., 2014). Furthermore, previous studies demonstrated that people have a good adaptive capacity to progressively shifting means, but that adapting to yearly changes and extremes is more challenging (Smit and Pilifosova, 2003). This is especially true in places where water storage and delivery systems are severely lacking (Hall and Borgomeo, 2013; Grey and Sadoff, 2007). To simulate future interactions between diverse driving forces and their consequences on future water scarcity circumstances, a full understanding of the present-day contribution of internal variability is necessary (Adger et al., 2005).
In this article, we provide a worldwide water shortage assessment that takes into account both the temporal changes in socioeconomic situations and hydro-climatic variability, allowing us to solve the issues raised above. Kummu et al., (2014) made the first attempt to quantify the role that hydro-climatic variability plays in aggravated water shortage on a worldwide scale. However, the study may have inflated or understated global and regional water scarcity circumstances due to the assumption of stable socioeconomic conditions. Here, we use a scenario analysis to sketch out how big these potential over- and under-estimates could be. We also use a computation method that accounts for the interaction effects of these drivers to quantify the relative impacts of these factors on changes in water scarcity, mitigating the danger of over- or under-estimation. Finally, we address how these findings may inform future water management and policy decisions, such as the development of adaption plans.
Hydroponics still requires a consistent and reliable source of water, and the high energy use for pumping, heating and lighting can also contribute to the overall water footprint of the system. Therefore, it is important to consider the overall sustainability and resource use of hydroponic systems in water-scarce regions.
The importance of water to agricultural output is readily apparent to anyone who has travelled to either arid or water-depleted regions. Ninety percent of the water used in conventional farming can be conserved by switching to hydroponics. Experimental results show that a single crop takes three lakhs of liters of water for development, but the same task in hydrophobic requires only twelve thousand liters of water (Hall and Borgomeo, 2013). With hydroponic farming, the massive operation is not only possible in any region, but also replicable, scalable, and not water-dependent at all. Because of its low labor requirements, resistance to climate change, compact footprint, reliable water supply, and little fertilizer needs, hydroponics has emerged as one of the most promising approaches to addressing the demands of modern agriculture. Hydroponics is a modern agriculture practice that uses less water and has no negative environmental effects because of this (Mason and Calow, 2012).
Many top-level policy goals, such as the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UN, 2014) and the Hyogo Framework for Action, emphasise the need of addressing water scarcity (UNISDR, 2005). One of the proposed new Sustainable Development Goals is to “substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors including agriculture by 2030, and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity, and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity.” (UN, 2014).
Since hydroponic systems use a much less water than conventional farming, they can help alleviate water scarcity issues. With hydroponic systems, the amount of water needed to grow crops can be reduced by as much as 90 percent compared to conventional farming, and that water can then be reused. This means there is less need to treat water each time it is used, which saves money and helps the environment (Smit and Pilifosova, 2003). The lack of soil in hydroponic systems also means less fertilizer and nutrient runoff, which is good for water quality.
Very less amount of water is needed for hydroponic farming than for conventional farming. To conserve water, the most effective hydroponic technologies use only 10% as much water as conventional soil farming does. Since 40% less fertilizer is required due to the nutrient uptake occurring directly and efficiently in the rhizosphere, this finding is consistent (Hall and Borgomeo, 2013). Compared to conventional farming, the output from crops grown using hydroponic techniques is significantly higher since they mature twice as quickly and growers can plant up to four times as many crops in the same area.
Experience the future of farming with our innovative hydroponics systems. Grow fresh produce year-round, using less water and space.
Experience the future of farming with our innovative hydroponics systems. Grow fresh produce year-round, using less water and space. Order now!
