The advantages of having a vertical garden are countless, discover what more benefits they can offer.
The population of the Earth is growing and food is becoming not only a commodity but a luxury for some regions where the weather is not very forgiving. It is natural that scientists have begun to investigate alternatives to conventional agriculture. One of the best examples is vertical farming, a practice that has already been tested with surprising results!
What is Vertical Farming?
According to Wikipedia, vertical agriculture is "the practice of producing food and medicines in vertically stacked layers, vertically inclined surfaces and/or integrated into other structures (such as in a skyscraper, in a warehouse in use or in a shipping container)".
There are already numerous startups and companies that challenge the traditional "horizontal" approach, by incorporating indoor farming and controlled environment farming techniques.
Why go Vertical?
Imagine a world in which you do not depend on the weather or the space available to grow food to meet a constantly growing demand. Countries that have a mild climate and a large amount of land will suffer less, but what about the rest of the world? Or, how about reducing transportation costs by having vertical farms outside your city?
The possibilities are endless. And this is not even a cliche in this case: farmers around the world have already started using the new techniques and literally savoring the results. Visit this website to get more information about the movement.
Some companies use old warehouses, others buy old containers, some build innovative structures ... vertical agriculture doesn't care much about what is going to be used. The only thing that matters is how creative you are when developing your idea and how capricious are the plants you want to grow; some almost do not need any environmental control, while others require a strict program so that they can prosper.
What are the advantages?
1. Crop production throughout the year
There is no need to worry about frost, winds, sunny days. There is no need to worry about the seasons. All you need to do is generate a well-controlled environment and be able to supply your vertical farm with seeds, soil substitutes, and the necessary nutrients.
2. You will need less water
Some scientists and advocates of vertical agriculture say that only 10 to 30 percent of the water that would be needed using traditional horizontal agriculture is needed. Good news, since water can be a problem for farmers in certain regions!
3. Future proof
Urbanization is growing and soon most people will live in cities. This means that people will have fewer options to get fresh produce regularly. Vertical agriculture solves this problem: farms can be built near cities, or even within them.
4. Weatherproof
As we have already mentioned, there is no need to worry about weather conditions (except for hurricanes and tornadoes, maybe!). Modern solutions will give farmers the ability to control air, light, humidity, temperature and other important factors for a healthy harvest.
What are the inconveniences?
Vertical agriculture, like any other new technology, has deficiencies. Pollination is probably the most important since crops are grown in an insect-free environment. Other problems include the shortage of highly skilled workers, which are necessary to attend the facilities, as well as the dependence on technology. These problems have not yet been addressed.
What do you think? Are you interested in vertical agriculture? If so, where would you start?
DISCOVER THE ADVANTAGES OF VERTICAL AGRICULTURE
- Production of crops throughout the year, 1 hectare inland is equivalent to 4-6 hectares outdoors or more, depending on the crop and height.
- There are no losses related to seasons or weather due to droughts, floods or pests.
- All food is organically grown without herbicides, pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
- Practically agricultural runoff is eliminated by recycling black water.
- You can grow herbs, oregano, mint, parsley, coriander, chives, lettuce, strawberries, chard, radishes, and arugula. among others.
advantages of vertical farming
6. Restore biodiversity and its functions and services to natural ecosystems.
7. It greatly reduces the incidence of many infectious diseases that are acquired due to uncertified agricultural processes.
8. Dramatically reduce the use of fossil fuels (tractors, plows or transport).
9. Convert abandoned urban real estate into food production centers.
Vertical Agriculture
10. It generates sustainable environments for urban centers.
11. Create new employment opportunities.
12. It can generate opportunities for social reintegration.
13. It could reduce the incidence of armed conflicts over natural resources, such as water and land.
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