As the world’s population and subsequent need for food continues to increase, pressure is being applied to agricultural production to achieve ever-increasing yields. The United Nations report in which the world’s population will be grow by 2050 is 9.7 billion, with 70 percent of those people residing in cities (United Nations, 2015). Addition to urban sprawl and infrastructure construction can eat away at farmland (Lotze-Campen et al., 2008), which could cause food shortages (Thomaier et al., 2015). The volume of output probable from conventional system of farming, the land for agricultural is limited; hence this magnitude of modify may entail the exploration of substitute food production mechanisms. The perception of Vertical-Farming (VF) is gaining popularity as a means to maximize crop production on a given plot of land (Agrilyst, 2017).
This method incorporates soil-free growth methods and is particularly appealing for usage in metropolitan settings in an effort to lessen the burden on conventional farmland. Unfortunately, the word “Vertical Farming” has grown to have many different meanings, some of which can be misleading. VF spans a variety of growth mechanism across scales, technologies, users, locales, and goals; nevertheless, it is not always connected with urban agriculture. It’s ideal for growing things like lettuce and other leafy greens in the garden (Agrilyst, 2017). In this article, we’ll outline the most common VF methods and discuss the features of various VF cultivation techniques.
There are two main types of Vertical Farming systems: those that use many levels of conventional horizontal growth stages, and those that use a vertical surface to cultivate their crops. Even though conventional, single-level production in greenhouses on rooftops is urban agriculture, has the efficiency for efficient improvement through incorporation with, for example, waste infrastructure and urban heating, known as Building Integrated Agriculture (Eigenbrod & Gruda, 2015; Caplow, 2009), such facilities are not being considered here because of their comparisons to traditional rural protected horticulture services.
As population grows, pressure on farming to increase yields rises. Urban sprawl and construction can lead to food shortages, hence the exploration of alternative food production mechanisms like Vertical Farming (VF) is gaining popularity, which incorporates soil-free growth methods and is appealing in urban settings. VF has different meanings and varies in scale, technology, location and goals, but it is not always connected with urban agriculture. Two main types of VF systems exist: those that use many levels of conventional horizontal growth stages, and those that use a vertical surface to cultivate their crops.
This method of farming, known as “Vertical Farming,” often makes use of already commercial protected agriculture systems. These setups have a series of horizontal growing stages similar to those used in conventional farms. Large-scale hydroponic systems are used to cultivate several horticultural crops, including leafy vegetables like herbs, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), lettuce (Lactuca sativa), and pepper (Capsicum spp.) (Agrilyst, 2017). Substrate blocks, such as those made of wool of rock or similar things, can be used to create a medium for plant roots and are then drip-fed a carefully calibrated blend of water and nutrients. Plants can also be cultivated in rafts that float on top of beds of nutrient solution (deep water culture, DWC) or with a thin coating of nutrient solution in the rootzone (NFT, Nutrient Film Technique) (Beacham, Monaghan, Aguiar, & Eastham, 2017). Systems like these typically involve recirculating the nutrient solution, which helps to preserve optimal nutritional composition, and also includes additional sanitation/ sterilization stages to control potential infections. As an alternative, there are methods like aeroponics (where nutrient solution is misted over the root zone) and aquaponics (where fish waste is used as a source of fertilizer) that use much less water (provision of nutrient from waste of fish farm constructed into the re-circulation system (Rakocy, Masser, & Losordo, 2006).
Unlike traditional farming, which relies on the sun’s radiation, vertical farms are conducted in a controlled environment and instead use artificial lighting, which emits light at the precise wavelengths required for plants to thrive. Plants in vertical farms use soilless cultivation techniques, such as hydroponics (in which the plant’s roots are submerged in a high nutrient water solution), aeroponics (in which the plant’s roots are exposed to a nutrient-rich air or mist solution), or even aquaponics, (in which hydroponic plants and fish are grown together). Farmers can regulate the temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide levels in vertical farms since they are totally sealed off from the outside world by thermally insulated installations (particularly when positioned on the top floor of a building) and airtight buildings (Avgoustaki and Xydis, 2019).
As they may be situated practically anywhere inside a city’s infrastructure, vertical farms provide consumers with access to healthy, locally grown food. More specifically, Jill (2008) found that conventionally farmed food consumes 4–17 times as much fuel and produces 5–17 times as much CO2 as locally grown food. Meanwhile, the productivity rate of vertical farms may increase in densely populated places, which can improve the food security of the local population. The next section will compare and contrast the resource requirements of outdoor farming, greenhouse farming, and vertical farming, as well as the quality of the final product in terms of food safety and shelf life in terms of nutrients and freshness. Since lettuce is one of the most widely grown crops for vertical farms, we will also analyses it according to the aforementioned criteria. Lettuce is a staple in many diets, but due to its delicate nature, it poses a significant public health risk if tainted.
The term “vertical farming” refers to a technique for cultivating plants in a controlled environment, typically in an urban setting, by stacking individual rows or beds vertically. Using hydroponics, aeroponics, and other nutrient-rich fluids, this farming approach may grow crops in a fraction of the space required by conventional farming techniques. The consumption of water and chemical fertilizers and pesticides can both be decreased by the implementation of vertical farming (Growing Underground, 2018). Providing a more efficient and cost-effective approach to produce food in urban areas, this style of farming has the potential to revolutionize the food production system.
The goal of vertical farming is to maximize crop yields by reducing the amount of land needed for cultivation. This approach to agriculture has been around for generations, but it’s recently been getting a lot of attention since it’s a more efficient and sustainable way to grow food. Studies have indicated that vertical farming can improve crop yield by as much as 20 times while simultaneously reducing water use by as much as 70 percent (Jarvis, 1992). Further, vertical farming may lessen the need for farmland, cut down on pollution from runoff nutrients, and slow the development of disease. Vertical farming can also lengthen growing seasons and make fresh, local products available all through the year because crops are grown in a controlled environment (Morrow, 2008).
Growing food in enclosed containers is called “container farming,” and it can be done either indoors or out. The plants are cultivated in nutrient-rich water rather than dirt. Because of the portability of the containers and the relative safety from pests, weather, and other environmental conditions, this farming approach is frequently employed in urban locations with little space. Another advantage of container farms is their ability to produce crops regularly throughout the year. When growing plants in containers, environmental parameters like temperature and humidity can be better managed.
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