Vertical Farming – Vision of Farming Future 

Have you ever thought, what could happen if there is no or few land left for farming? Answer would definitely be, deficiency of food. Yes, due to this deficiency of food substances, people may compete with each other and as per Charles Darwin theory “Only survival of the fittest” will be observed, leading a big question mark on the peaceful existence of Human race. ¹It is been estimated that by the end of 2050, near to 80% of the earth's population will reside in urban centers. It is also been estimated that, by employing the conservative estimates to present demographic trends, the human population will be increased by about 3 billion people during the interim.

As per the analysis conducted by FAO and NASA, 10⁹ hectares of fresh land is required to cultivate crops in order to balance the food requirement, through traditional farming practices as they are practiced today. At present, around 80% of the land present in earth's surface is suitable for crop cultivation, but are in use to flourish urban civilization. Approximately, 15% of the total land on earth surface is been laid waste due to poor land management practices. What can be done in order to resolve this futuristic issue of saving human race?

Vertical farming, could be the potential solution

The idea of vertical farming is similar to indoor farming, but differs in many other aspects. This indoor farming was not new in Indian as well as in International community. ²Indoor farming was employed to grow tomatoes, strawberries, peppers, cucumbers, herbs, spices, wide variety of herbs, and many other food crops.

³The concept of vertical farming was developed by Dickson D. Despommier, president of Vertical Farm Technologies LLC, USA, along with the help of 94 graduate students of Columbia University.

Vertical farming is a type of agricultural technique that make use of large-scale agricultural area of of urban "farm-scrapers". ⁴Using recycled resources and greenhouse methods such as hydroponics, these buildings would produce fruit, vegetables, edible mushrooms and algae year-round.

Advantages of Vertical farming

• It elevates round the year crop production.
• It eliminates agricultural runoff.
• It remarkably reduces the use of fossil fuels (as observed in machines and transport of crops).
• It makes proper use of abandoned or unused properties.
• It prevents crop failures, as is observed due to unsuitable weather condition.
• It offers maximum possibility of sustainability for urban centers.
• It makes the conversion of black and gray water to drinking water possible by collecting the water of trans-evaporation.
• It adds energy back to the grid via methane generation using inedible parts of crop plants.
• It avails fresh urban employment opportunities.
• It lowers the chance of acquiring infection from agents transmitted at the agricultural interface.
• It returns the farmland to nature, thereby helping to restore ecosystem function and services.

References

1. Verticalfarm; Dickson D. Despommier, president of Vertical Farm Technologies LLC, USA.

2. "Vertical farming". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [First published in the Encyclopedia of Earth April 8, 2008; Last revised Date April 8, 2008; Retrieved October 8, 2010

3. Hindu, 17th Oct, 2009; epaper; Dickson D. Despommier, president of Vertical Farm Technologies LLC, USA.

4. "Urbanism and the environment". Gristmill. Retrieved 2009-03-14.