urban farming

Learn urban farming. know the pros and cons of growing plants and rearing animals in the urban jungle and how it can improve your life. Get the latest news, skills, and trends. Let’s improve food security!

NFT hydroponic systems

Hydroponics: grow plants easily anywhere all year round without soil.

urban farming

Hydroponics makes it possible to grow plants without the need for soil. Plants majorly need water and nutrients for growth and only need soil for support and to acquire some mineral elements. However, in hydroponic urban farming, plants can be provided with these nutrients in an aqueous solution depending on their growth stage and individual plant profiles. Here, plants are grown in a soil less nutrient rich media. They are supported by media like gravel or perlite while their roots dangle in the nutrient rich aqueous solution. The nutrients can sourced from artificial inorganic fertilizers like NPK, or organic fertilizers like fish and duck excrement which are mixed in the water to provide nourishment to plants. Examples of plants grown include; Advantages of hydroponics 1. Easy to control plant growth parameters Farmers can make sure that plants get the exact amount of nutrients they need for maximum growth. The hydroponic systems are also grown indoor so other factors like temperature, lighting can be controlled as well. 2. Can be done anywhere.  Hydroponic farming system is used indoor farming which enables agriculture to be carried out anywhere. Besides people can also have hydroponic kits in their homes to grow their own vegetables and herbs. 3. Decreased and efficient water usage;  The system uses 20 times less water as compared to traditional farming methods since the water is recycled and pumped back to plants in the system. 4. Efficient nutrient uptake by plants Since the nutrients are provided to them in a dissolved state, the plants can easily absorb them thus ensuring faster growth compared to a soil media where they can be leached. 5. Little space utilization The system uses less space as a large number of plants can be grown on vertically arranged stands in vertical farming or on horizontal tower farms. 6. Possibility of integration Farming systems like aquaponics combine fish farming and hydroponics. Waste water from fish is pumped to the hydroponic setup where the plants use it to get nourishment and clean it. It is then pumped back to the fish tank. 7. Profuse production Vertical hydroponic farming results in a large number of crops being grown in a small space over a short period of time. The production rate is very high as well as the yields. 8. Ready market for produce The plants grown have large market and high demand in urban areas where people buy groceries for home consumption and also in the numerous restaurants and hotels. 9. Relatively cheap to set up Hydroponic equipment are relatively cheap, readily available and very easy to set up. You can start farming the following day after getting everything set up while traditional land preparation farming takes time and costs like tilling or liming to buffer the soil. 10. Minimizes labor costs Once set up, the farmer just has to maintain nutrient levels and monitor plant health minimizing costs as compared to traditional farming; sowing, mulching, weeding, and other laborious activities. 11. Easy to control pests and diseases Most hydroponic farming is done indoors in a controlled environment and it’s thus easy to control pests and diseases. Soil borne diseases and parasites are also cut off since the plants are grown in a soilless medium. Diseased plants can also be easily identified and removed since there is good spacing between individual plants. The water can also be sterilized and treated to avoid transmitting water borne diseases. 12. Fewer chemical usage Inorganic fertilizers like NPK may be used to provide the plants with nourishment but incidences of herbicides and pesticide usage are out of the roof 13. Year round production. Plants can be grown all year round irrespective of season or climate location using hydroponics. 14. Easy harvesting and packaging of crops. Disadvantages of hydroponics The systems requires energy to avail water to plants using a pump. Other energy costs may be as a result of lighting for plants growth especially if the farmer doesn’t use LED lights in their indoor hydroponic farm. The plants need to be monitored continuously to ensure proper growth by removing diseased plants and maintaining nutrient levels. Expertise can also be required for where the individual farmer may need technical assistance. In case of contamination and water borne disease propagation (viruses and bacteria diseases majorly), a very large number of plants can be affected resulting in major loss especially if the diseases aren’t detected very early. Bottom line. Hydroponic farming is a very ideal and recommended urban farming method of growing plants effectively, and efficiently in large numbers without much hassle while yielding a lot of profits. It is also very popular amongst many urban farmers and indoor vertical farming companies because of its outstanding benefits.  Try it today.

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green energy

What is green energy?

urban farming

Green energy is becoming increasingly important in the world today as people are getting more aware of the adverse effects humanity has had on the environment of planet earth which we all call home. Environmental degradation and pollution of the earth’s soil, air and water resources is now very high as a result of ; industrialisation, urbanisation, agriculture, transportation and over exploitation. The consequences of of these have resulted into 2. Biodiversity and habitat loss; many animals have lost their homes and many have died due to deforestation and pollution of water bodies. This has resulted in the extinction of many flora and fauna with many species now being endangered. 3. Global warming; Industrial fumes and combustion of fossil fuels like oil release green house gases that deplete the ozone layer resulting in the green house effect. The earths temperatures are now rising; ice caps are melting and seasons have changed. Other effects of global warming are; drought, famine, flooding as a result of rising sea levels and hurricanes. The worst thing about global warming is that its effects arent localised. It affects us all. We may have country boundaries but we live in the same planet. Destruction of the environment in one place will effect every one. That being said, the need to adopt eco-sustainable lifestyles is now very important for everyone everywhere to help us curtail these effects. we can begin by; [Tweet “Green living.”] We rely on energy in our daily lives to run our machines like cars, for domestic use; cooking, lighting, home heating, industrial machinery operation and agriculture. Traditional energy resources like oil, coal, fire wood, and kerosene emit green house gases that deplete the ozone layer contributing to global warming. They are also non renewable and will soon run out. what is green energy? Green energy is that which comes from natural resources like wind, sunlight, tides, running water, and geothermal heat. Advantages of green energy 1. Green energy is renewable which implies that it is naturally replenished and cannot be exhausted. It also thus known as renewable energy. 2. Green energy is clean and has no effect on the environment since it doesn’t release pollutants. It can also be called clean energy. 3. Green energy is also very cheap and can be accessed by people anywhere in the world. For example in rural Africa and remote villages, people are now using solar energy for lighting and cooking. Types of green energy 1.Solar energy This is energy which comes from the sun. It is collected using solar panels which have photovoltaic cells that trap sunlight and convert it to electricity. The captured energy can be stored in batteries and later used for cooking, lighting, and to run machines/ appliances like televisions and fridges. Solar panels can be installed on house roofs, cars and on small appliances like torches which can be hang out in the sun to collect the energy during day time. 2. Hydroelectricity Running water especially in rivers is used to generate this type of green energy. Running water or water collect in dams and reservoirs is forced through a narrow path at very high speed and made to run turbines that generate electricity. Hydro electricity is very effective and one of the most commonly used types of energy in the world today. 3. Wind Strong winds are used to generate electricity by running the blades of wind turbines making the rotary connected generator to produce electricity. wind energy is mostly used in the United States and European countries like German and Norway. 4. Biofuels Organic plant/ animal matter can be converted into biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel. Biofuel is used as fuel in vehicles, generators, and heating. It is also called renewable fuel. 5. Biogas This is produced as a result of decomposition of organic waste like kitchen refuse, agricultural waste, and bad food in airtight containers( bio digesters) by bacterial and fungi. The produced methane gas is then used in homes for cooking, and lighting. The left over waste can be used as fertilizer in gardens. 6. Geothermal energy Geothermal energy is produced by heat from the earth’s crust that heats up rocks and water. Hot water and steam from geothermal hotspots like hot springs is collected and used to generate electricity by geothermal electric plants which is then used. this type of renewable energy is used in countries like; USA, China, and Ice land. Bottomline The effects of human activities on the earth have been extremely catastrophic and we can only reduce them by living green sustainable lifestyles. By consuming green energy in our daily lives, we can take the first step into ensuring the earth’s conservation Traditional fossil fuels are also non renewable and will soon be exploited. Green energy is the future.

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vertical farming systems

Top 3 best types of vertical farming systems.

urban farming

vertical farming systems used in vertical farming vary and usage mainly depends on the company or farmers’ needs, their capital, location, niche market, and their overall vision. vertical farms are usually installed in industrial large buildings with high space to grow upwards. Others can also be installed in shipping containers. Whatever the farm is, it must be large enough to accommodate all the units required to successfully grow plants for example; plant growing room, the water supply/irrigation, storage, handling, and the workers unit. All these can be located on the same farm but the plants are grown in an entirely separate secluded unit which is the heart of the vertical farm. Different vertical farming systems are used to grow crops in vertical farms and these utilize soil-free based technics to provide nutrients to plants. Soil free based growing systems are what make vertical farming very successful because of their effectiveness, eco-sustainability and monetary advantages. Best types of vertical farming systems 1.Hydroponics This is the most commonly used vertical farming systems type. Here plants are grown with their roots submerged in a water-based nutrient solution. the solution is fertilized with nutrients and is continuously circulated throughout the system using a water pump. Frequent monitoring is done to measure the nutrient level, salinity, and temperature to suit the demands of the plants in the system. The plants can be supported in the suspension using a soft place plug or gravel can be added at the bottom of the water unit to support the plant roots in the Nutrient film technique hydroponics. Other types of hydroponics also however exist. Examples of vertical farms that use hydroponics vertical farming systems are vertical roots and bowery farming. 2. Aeroponics In this type of system, plants are grown suspended in a closed or semi-closed mist environment without soil. The plants are grown on a foam-like material leaving the roots to seep through a mesh-like cap and dangle below into the mist chamber. The suspended dangling plant roots are then continuously sprayed with a nutrient-rich solution from which they get nourishment. A timer is set connected to the pump to help spray the plant roots at the appropriate time intervals. LED lights are used to provide the plants with energy for photosynthesis. Aeroponic tower farms are also used in the same manner with plants grown on a soilless medium called rock wool. They are vertical tubular structures with plants merging on either side. [Tweet “The best vertical farming systems types.”] 3. Aquaponics Aquaponics is a farming system that amalgamates hydroponics and aquaculture. Nutrient rich waste water from the fish production unit is pumped to a hydroponic setup to supply nutrients to plants and also to clean it after which it is pumped back to the fish unit. Advantages of soil-free based vertical farming systems Bottomline. Vertical farming systems used vary depending on the farmer. Some new systems that are a combination exist for example vertical-aquaponics. Hydroponics is the most widely used vertical farming system. vertical farming is the future. Most people might fear venturing in but you can always start one day at a time by buying a single aeroponic tower, a hydroponic kit, or a small aquaponic unit for your living room and get started today. After a test run, you can then go big!

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vertical farming companies. aerofarms.

8 best vertical farming companies for your inspiration.

urban farming

Vertical farming companies are numerous out there since the practice is one of the best urban farming methods we have in the world today.    The farms use artificial lighting to grow crops on vertically raised racks indoors in an artificially controlled environment.  Production is large per unit area and agriculture can be carried out all year round irrespective of the season. Check out my in-depth article on indoor vertical farming for more details. A quick reminder is that random people can also do indoor farming in their homes using hydroponics or buying equipment like mini home hydroponic kits or small indoor plant cubicles that use led lighting to grow plants in their houses especially herbs and vegetables. These are made by companies like farmshelf and others can be purchased on sites like eBay and Amazon. Other indoor farms that use sunlight for crop growth also exist but the limitations are many and production is extremely very low compared to those that utilize led lighting and vertical farming. These have to depend on sunlight for plant growth which is limited by day length and season resulting in low production. That being said, it’s also worth mentioning that most of these indoor vertical farming companies are located in developed countries like the USA, Netherlands, Canada majorly because they are ahead, they have the equipment and capital requirement. But that is no excuse, there are many companies that manufacture these agricultural equipment and it can be shipped to any part of the world like American hydroponics and freight farms.  So, you can also start your indoor vertical farm today if you know the requirements and where to look. Technology has changed and is changing the world for the better. Smart agriculture is also applied here and is used by vertical farming companies in the production of their crops to; monitor plant growth, set conducive conditions like temperature, lighting among other benefits. These vertical farming companies are also great agribusinesses that generate large amounts of income by selling their products to people in urban areas where demand for food is high. The best vertical farming companies for your inspiration. Here is the list of the best indoor vertical farms . 1.Aero farms Aero farms is one of the top world leader indoor vertical farming companies. They are based in New jersey, united states but have branches in other parts of the world. They grow crops using aeroponic technology and LED lights on a recyclable cloth medium in a controlled environment which facilitates easy pest and disease control. The farms produce greens sustainably in large amounts for which it has also received awards. Aerofarms is the best example of how is possible to carry out agriculture sustainably and effectively. This Youtube video shows a bit of what they do at aerofarms. 2. Squareroots grow This USA based indoor urban farm has branches in New York and Michigan. They produce organic fresh leafy vegetable produce using smart IoT agriculture technology in all their farms. Squareroots is the best example of next-generation agriculture using smart technlogy. 3. Bowery farming Bowery farms are located in New york, USA and they produce vegetables like kale, lettuce and aragula which are beautifully packed and sold farm fresh. They have a very organised system and high technological machines and equipment which they use in the production of their products. 4. Eatupward farms Eatupwards is an example of the vertical farming companies that intergrates vertical farming with aquaponics and is located in New york. They majorly produce microgreens and fish( stripped bass) all in one central facility. They show us that integrated farming is also possible with vertical farming. 5. Vertical roots vertical roots utilize indoor hydroponic container farming to maximize yields and minimize contamination. They use Nutrient film technique hydroponic systems coupled with indoor farming and real-time data technology-driven systems to grow organic farm fresh vegetables. 6. Gotham greens This USA-based indoor vertical company is based in the USA where it also has it many greenhouses. They utilize recirculating hydroponic systems to grow food which is one of the most water-efficient agricultural systems. 7. Plenty Plenty is a big time indoor urban farm which has been here a while. They produce microgreens majorly which are well packaged and sold farm fresh. 8. Iron ox farm Iron ox is a one of a kind indoor vertical farm that encompasses robotics in their plant production process to ensure high-quality production. Bootomline Indoor vertical farming can help us solve the problem of world hunger and ensure food availability for people, especially in urban areas. From the above examples of vertical farming companies, it can be sustainable, profitable, smart, intergrated and its highly feasible since it can be carried out anywhere irrespective of location and season.

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LED light urban farm. Image from uponics.com

Artificial LED lights in urban farming

urban farming

Indoor vertical farming is on the rise and systems like vertical farms, hydroponics, aquaponics, recirculating aquaculture systems, greenhouses, and living space farming are mostly or wholly entirely done without the need of the sun. Thanks to technological developments and smart agriculture, high tech farmers are now using led lights to grow crops. Similarly, integrated urban farmers, people with short day lengths, and those with high market demands are also turning to this technology. LED lights help distribute energy to the large number of crops grown in confined and closed places in the vertical farms where sunlight is not used. Indoor vertical farms are majorly used to grow greens, herbs, fruits, leafy vegetables, and salads like tomatoes, cabbages, and lettuce. the plants majorly have a shorter growth cycle and high yields. Advantages of LED lights in indoor vertical farming. Led stands for light-emitting diodes. These amazing lights are not only cheap, but they also consume very little energy. They are very efficient emitting substantial amounts of light energy per unit. The visible light spectrum contains a variety of colors but plants only need a few and of a particular wavelength to grow (red and blue). Recent developments in LED light technologies have made it possible to extract and use only “targeted wavelengths” needed for photosynthesis and plant growth. These are the ones used in the artificial LED lights (red and blue). This gives them a pinkish glow. This helps to ensure faster plant growth, allow production on a large scale, and enable agriculture to be carried out all year round irrespective of climate and location. Led lights are also durable lasting almost 6 years and emit less heat compared to traditional bulbs like fluorescent or HPS- high-pressure sodium bulbs. They therefore don’t harm the crops especially in vertical and indoor farms where plants are stacked on vertical trays and the bulbs have to be installed at each level. There are some disadvantages like causing eye strain to farmers. The lights can also hide some pests and diseases due to camouflage allowing them to spread on the farm. High start-up costs are involved in starting up vertical LED urban farms as compared to normal farms; setting up the facility, buying equipment, and installation all takes much money. LED lights are becoming popular each passing day and are used by large urban green farms like AeroFarms to enhance production on a large scale. some people also use them to grow crops in their living room using hydroponic water substrate.

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smart agriculture

What is smart agriculture? Unbelievable facts and advantages you need to know right now.

urban farming

Smart agriculture is the future of modern farming as we know it. The world is constantly changing mostly for the better and ease of life thanks to the ever-increasing advancements in science and technology. Modern machines, software, sensory equipment, communication systems, and robotics can now also be applied in agriculture to ease work, raise yields, avoid catastrophes, and minimize human labor. Developed countries like the Netherlands, USA, Norway, Japan, and China are using technology in agriculture production to maximize yields.  Other countries like the United Arab Emirates are already using modern farming systems like indoor urban farms to grow crops in the desert. With the evolution of smart agriculture, the sky will be the limit. Everything will be possible. This could be one of the solutions to ending global hunger and ensuring food availability for all.  What is smart agriculture? This refers to farming that utilizes modern technologies in crop and animal production to maximize yields and efficiency while also reducing on human labor requirements.  Farms that carry out smart agriculture are called smart farms. The internet of things is also used in smart agriculture. This is a collection of network-enabled and connected devices, machines, or appliances. They can be connected via the internet, Bluetooth, near field connections (NFC), or WIFI and perform different actions but controlled at a central unit like a phone or laptop. They are also called smart devices. A living example is home systems like Google Home or Amazon’s Alexa devices which constitute devices like thermostats, cameras, speakers, and TV all connected together and controlled by an app on the phone. In smart agriculture these can constitute; a drone, sensors, thermostats, a robot, and computerized systems for irrigation/ lighting all connected and controlled together using an app on a phone or tablet. The internet of things (IoT) is now widely used and it will revolutionarise agriculture as we know it in the near future.  The number of IoT smart farms is increasing daily and soon this will be a worldwide normal application.   Technologies used in smart agriculture. Smart farming utilizes a number of different technologies and these include: 1. Software applications There are thousands of applications out there that we use in our daily lives on our gadgets like phones, laptops, tablets, and many are developed each passing day.  Among these are those that are developed specifically for agriculture purposes for example; farm forum platforms, weather applications, automatic animal and crop diagnostics apps, and weather databases. Smart farms use these applications majorly for communication, knowledge, diagnostics, and data analytics. 2. Robotics and drones These are artificially intelligent automatic machines that can be programmed to certain work. They are equipped with software and information that allows them to visualize, analyze, interpret, and execute activities. Robots and drones can do extreme tasks that humans cannot do. They are also used to increase efficiency where it would require a large amount of manpower to perform certain work. Advantages of robots and drones in smart agriculture. In smart agriculture, robots and drones can be used to; 3. Farm machines These have been here for a long time and are getting improved each passing day so that a single machine can carry out a variety of farm tasks at the same time. Examples include; combined harvest and planter tractors, tilling tractors, produce drying machines, milking machines, juicers, weeders, irrigation machines and sowing machines. These can also be programmed using software to do the work automatically covering other aspects like duration, amount of work, precision, and direction like robotics and drones. 4. Information systems These are aggregate systems that collect, process, store and distribute data/information. They are majorly computerized and data can be retrieved on demand any time anywhere.  The internet, computer networks and company databases are all examples of information systems out there. Information and knowledge can be accessed using laptops, computers and mobile devices like phones/ tablets. Smart farms use these systems to get knowledge which they use in decision making by looking at trends, symptoms, signs, environmental parameters, weather and climate changes, among other records contained in information systems. Smart farmers are therefore able to make accurate informed decisions in their daily activities thus maximizing yields and avoiding catastrophes. 5. Communication systems These are used to relay messages from one point to another. They can be physically connected like using wires, optic cables or remotely connected for example phones, and the internet of things. Effective communication is the paramount in smart agriculture. Smart farms have integrated communication systems and IoT connected devices which helps to ease management of different farm units. Information can also be transmitted amongst individual farmers so that they can unanimously help each other. 6. Sensory equipment These include monitoring equipment for: temperature (thermostats), soil, water, wind, and light which can be installed at various points to measure those parameters. The results of these are used in decision making to; 7. Geographical systems Geographic information systems (GIS), mapping, location, positioning and landscaping are used in smart agriculture to establish: farm topography, plant cover, water resource mapping like ponds, drainage, field infestation rates and to know the acreage of individual plant or animal units. Aerial visual images are usually acquired using drones having sensory and GIS equipment and these are interpreted for decision making. [Tweet “Smart agriculture.”] Advantages of smart agriculture The advantages of smart agriculture are very numerous most of which are covered in the content but here are the major ones. 1. Automation and efficiency Smart technologies use modern equipment which can be programmed to carry out tasks on their own easing farm work. They can also do a large amount of tasks fast, accurately and timely improving the overall efficiency at smart farms. They also reduce labor costs where a large number of humans can be required to carry out particular farm operations.   2. High yields and profitability Smart farms like indoor urban farms are able to produce a large amount of crops per unit area resulting in high profits. Smart

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food wastage

Quick ways to reduce global food wastage using the 3Rs.

urban farming

Global food wastage is on the rise each passing day. According to the Food and Agricultural Organisation, approximately 1.3 billion tonnes of food goes to waste. Food waste is viable food that we don’t eat and either throw away or lose. Food wastage occurs throughout the entire food system and transport chain; production at the farm, transportation, processing, storage, selling and at the end point which is consumption. Food takes time to grow as is with all urban farming and agricultural products. We need it to nourish our bodies so that we can keep alive. It is thus a very important basic need that shouldn’t be allowed to go to waste. Food can be fruits, vegetables, legumes, tubers, meats, milk, nuts, grains, edible herbs, and fungi like mushrooms. Global food hunger is also on the rise with 690 million people going to bed hungry and 135 million people in 55 countries facing acute food insecurity according to the World food programme. It’d also be great if you donated to them in their fight against global hunger to provide meals to starving people through the WFP Share the meal platform Conserving food can not only help you live sustainably but also save you a lot of money in the process. Reducing food wastage can also help you reduce the overall effects of agriculture on the environment including our carbon footprint. Causes of food wastage As mentioned earlier, food wastage occurs throughout tthe entire food system and transportation phase. Below are some of the causes of food wastage today; This is very good since we need the food to survive but it can also result in food wastage in the field. some food can be left to rot, handling may be difficult especially for farmers in low-income countries who lack sophisticated handling equipment resulting in wastage. Notwithstanding the losses as a result of pests, parasites, diseases, and bad weather like storms or hurricanes. 2. Post harvest food loses These are loses that occur immediately after food harvest that result in loss of food value, quality, and quantity. They are majorly caused by poor handling, storage, and processing of food after harvest. For example, adding impurities to the food during processing, storing food in dirty containers, leaving food out in the open exposing it to parasites and pests, loss of food during transportation especially grains, throwing the food anyhow during handling and so many other ways. 3. Buying more food than we can consume. Some people buy alot of food at restaurants, malls and grocery stores yet they cannot consume it. Most of this goes to the dumpster and other which is stored at home goes bad and is later discarded. 4. Lack of value addition By adding value to the food through doing simple processing, we can avoid food wastage. Forexample smoking fish, sundrying grains, salting, and freezing food at the local level. Industrial processing can also be done to turn large amounts of would be waste food into other products. Be it so this is not a very big case in low-income countries. A lot of food is lost due to lack of value addition since the products are mainly sold in their raw unprocessed form. 5. Poor food storage and handling in homes, schools and restuarants. What are the 3Rs ? The 3Rs stand for: Reduce, Reuse and recycle. They are ideal sustainability and waste reduction techniques. Reduce production of waste. Reuse the waste more than once. Recycle the waste into different products. With global hunger ever on the rise, there is need for sustainable consumption and utilization of food resources and you can play part by reducing the wastage by following the 3Rs. A. Reduce B. Reuse [Tweet “Quick ways to reduce food wastage using the 3Rs.”] C. Recycle. conclusion Reducing food wastage around the world requires combined group efforts of all people worldwide. it can be a major step towards achieving sustainability and ensuring zero huner globally. Let me know your views in the commentts below.

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Indoor vertical farming: what you need to know.

urban farming

Indoor vertical farming is one of the most popular and productive urban agriculture systems we have around the world today. The farms produce large amounts of food per square meter which can cater for the large food demand in cities urban areas. The farms are also a very ideal agribusiness since they have high returns per unit meter thus very high yielding The seemingly oldest example of this type of farming can be the hanging gardens of Babylon which is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Don’t forget that this was said to be in Arabia which is a dry region. Since ancient times, people have been growing plants indoors for example; flowers for decoration and fruit trees in compounds, courtyards, and palaces in China, Egypt, and other civilizations. Another living example of indoor farming is the leafcutter ants which cut leaves from plants and use them to grow a fungus inside their homes on which they can feed all year round. Today, indoor vertical farming is majorly carried out in an enclosed building using artificial light as the primary source of energy for plant photosynthesis. Large commercial indoor vertical farms also exist for example; aerofarms, eatupward farms, freight farms, microacres and gotham greens. What is indoor vertical farming? Indoor vertical farming is a farming system where plants are grown horizontally on stacked trays with artificial light to act like sun. The plants can be grown in soil media on trays or in a nutrient rich water media (hydroponic system) to provide them with nourishment. The plants are grown in a vertically stacked system in rows on top of each other which saves space and maximises production per unit area.  However, some indoor farms use normal sunlight for plant growth but this has limitations. For example, if the plants are stacked, there cannot be a uniform distribution of sunlight for them all. Thus having them all on the ground in a single row which results in wastage of space and low production per unit area. Also using sunlight is constrained by environmental factors thus production cannot be carried out all year round The content in this post may apply to both but my major emphasis is on the ones that use artificial lighting since they are the most effective. Indoor vertical farming is on the rise especially in Europe, United States and the Middle East where agriculture is mostly commercialized to supply food to the large number of people in urban areas. Components of an indoor vertical farm The major components of a typical vertical farming system are; This is where the plants are grown and all the agriculture carried out. It is the heart of the whole system. The major crop-growing systems used are; hydroponics, aeroponics, aquaponics, and soil-based media. 2. Irrigation/ water supply system This supplies / distributes water containing nutrients, fertilizers and herbicides. These farms are mostly etirely organic and avoid chemical usage but where need be, organic pesticides and fertilizers are applied. This system majorly comprises of ; water pumps, pipes, and tanks. The hydroponic system can also be categorized here comprising of plant growing unit on top of everything else. 3. Trays Plants are grown on these trays especially in a soil media; vegetables, herbs and some fruits. The trays are usually made of plastic. 4. Horizontal racks These support the trays/ the system on which the plants are grown. They are usually made of metal which is long lasting. 5. Lighting system LED lights are installed to provide the plants with energy for photosynthesis. They give off a pinkish glow due to the selective blue green light spectrum that they utilize which maximizes plant growth. 6. Air conditioning/ dehumidifying unit This mixes air in the system and also brings in air from outside the system. 7. Carbon dioxde supply unit This can be installed to supply carbondioxide to the plants which they use in photosynthesis. 8. Produce/ plant handling units. Rooms can be set aside for other plant operations like; seed and equipment storage, nursery beds, and produce storage facilities like refridgerators. a separate room can be set aside aswell for handling harvested produce. this can also conatin machines that wash, grade, dry and pack produce in boxes or cans ready for the market. 9. Others Other facilities can include; a workers’ unit and a lavatory. Major crops grown in an indoor vertical farm. A large variety of crops can be grown depending on the markt requirements but the major crops/ plants grown herr are; The major crops grown here are; Advantages of indoor vertical farming. Production per unit area is very high since a large amount of crops is grown on stacked layers in a small space. 2. Production throughout the year Since the buildings are airtight and insulated, there aren’t any environmental constraints in indoor vertical farming. The farms also use LED lights with colors that maximize photosynthesis in plants instead of the sun, agriculture can be thus carried out effectively all year round irrespective of season. The farms are always in business come rain, sunshine, or snow. 3. Facilitates recycling Water and other items can be cleaned and reused which reduces costs. Produce which has gone to bad can be recycled and processed into different products like animal feeds or fertilizers so nothing here goes to waste. 4. Easy pest and disease control  Pest, parasite, disease and weed control can be done without breaking a sweat since there’s no influence from the external environment, ease of quarantine, and easy application of treatment. 5. There is ready market for produce. The plants grown have very ready market in urban areas due to the large number of people to feed. This maximizes profits and increases the overall income of the business. Vegetables and herbs are consumed in hotels, homes and everywhere to make soup, salads. The products can also be sold farm fresh and this adds to the competitive advantage of the enterprises. 6. Easy handling of produce. Harvesting,

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