Vertical farming is a new-age agricultural practice that allows crops to be grown in a closed and controlled environment. With the scarcity of farmland and increasing population, this method can meet the rising food demand worldwide. If you want to use space for farming efficiently, go through this article to learn what is vertical farming and its scope and benefits for India.
Vertical farming is what its name suggests: growing crops on vertically stacked surfaces instead of conventional horizontal surfaces. It helps farmers to produce more food in less available space. This farming method uses indoor spaces like shipping containers and warehouses that are usually unsuitable for farming.
It is easy to consider vertical agriculture as stacking plants and leaving them to grow. However, this is not the case. It demands a lot of work, including artificial light, temperature, water and humidity control. You can damage the entire crop if proper balance is not met.
India is among the biggest economies in the world. Most of the Indian population relies on agriculture for livelihood. However, the fact remains that India faces a food shortage.
The vertical farming market is still in its growth phase. A range of factors, like urban farming trends, sustainable agriculture practices and rising food demand, is boosting it. In simple words, urban farming in India refers to producing food in cities.
In 2022, the vertical farming market was worth $42.2 million, and it is projected to increase to $187.9 million by 2030. During 2023-2030, it is forecasted to grow at a rate of 20.5%. Arable land is limited in India and has been declining over the years. Vertical farming optimises land use to cultivate more crops in less space than traditional farming.
Vertical agriculture is becoming popular in India as a sustainable way to grow food in cities. For example, vertical farming in Tamil Nadu is practised by the Kryzen Biotech hydroponic farm in Salem.
Here are some of the top vertical farming companies in India:
Different crop types can be grown using vertical farming. The type depends on several factors: the available space, crop demand and budget. Crops that are usually grown in vertical farming include leafy greens, herbs, microgreens, strawberries, and medicinal and aromatic plants.
You need to pay attention to four major areas to understand how vertical farming works. Your vertical farming model must focus on the following:
The most popular techniques of vertical farming are aeroponics, aquaponics and hydroponics.
No liquid or solid medium is used in aeroponics. Air is used to produce crops. The roots of plants are suspended in a mist or air environment rich in nutrients. The crops receive key nutrients through a nutrient-rich mist. This vertical farming technology increases productivity and allows for faster growth rates. Also, there is efficient use of water.
Hydronics uses nutrient-rich water solutions to provide vital minerals to the roots directly. You can precisely deliver nutrients without wastage of water. Thus, the growth is faster, and crop yield is higher.
Aquaponics mixes aquaculture and hydroponics to cultivate plants and fish together. Water houses the crop roots along with fish. Plants receive healthy bacteria and nutrients from fish while the plants filter the same water. This vertical farming technology maintains a balanced ecosystem for both plants and fish.
The key benefits of vertical farming are efficient land use, year-round crop production, water conservation, and fewer chemicals.
The disadvantages of vertical farming in India include high costs and high energy consumption.
Future vertical farming will be more high-tech so that more food is produced while being more sustainable. It will address the present challenges of vertical farming, like high costs and energy consumption. Vertical farming will definitely become a key part of modern agriculture. Future vertical farming is going to be more scalable, cost-effective and accessible.
Vertical farming is an innovative approach to growing crops without soil in a closed environment.
Yes, vertical farming is eco-friendly as it uses fewer resources like water, fertilisers and land.
Vertical farming uses vertically stacked structures to grow crops using methods like aeroponics, aquaponics and hydroponics.
The advantages of vertical farming are year-round crop production, fewer chemicals, efficient land use and water conservation.
A variety of crops can be grown in a vertical farm, including strawberries, vine crops, leafy greens, herbs, microgreens and medicinal plants.
You can start a vertical farming business by selecting a suitable building and functional farming system in a good location.