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.
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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;
- The crop growing room
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;
- Vegetables; micro greens, lettuce, carrots, spinach, cabbage ….. etc
- Herbs; stevia, mint
- Animal fodder like barley.
- Fruit vegetables like cherry tomatoes
Advantages of indoor vertical farming.
- Maximum space utilization while commercializing production.
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, packaging and transportation to the market can be done on site and without need of sophiscated technology. The produce is just washed, dried, packed and is ready for the market.
Simple processing can be done where need be for example if there was a profuse harvest. Juices, cocktails and salads can be made, packed and sold.
Herbs can also be dried and packed in jars for sale. Extra produce can also be made into animal feeds like silage.
7. High returns on capital investments.
The establishments usually require an initial large capital investment but if one buys high quality durable equipment and employs skilled knowledgeable staff, they can break even in a short while and enjoy large profits thereafter.
The equipment will last 10 or more years but will still make money from day one. Plants grown in this setting have a short growing season thus can be sold quickly and replaced
8. Large crop sizes
The plants aren’t affected by day length and receive ample lighting day and night. It’s like being fed day and night. This enables them to grow fast and yield greatly. The returns are therefore high making the enterprise very lucrative.
9. Ease of maintenance
Few workers are required for maintenance and some of the activities can be automated like irrigation. Generally one would need; an agronomist to grow, maintain and inspect crops, an electrician, an accountant, casual laborers, drivers and a security personale.
Much of the work done here isn’t heavy and the crops don’t need to be incubated like eggs instead just routine growth checks are done on top of the daily management practices like irrigation.
10. Can be done anywhere
They can be setup anywhere irrespective of climate and geographical setting since the crops are grown indoors. In very hot climates, the building facilities can be engineered to reduce the temperatures while for cold regions it’s vice versa. This helps make use of land which isn’t arable while facilitating food growth.
11. Can cater for different market needs
A large variety of crops can be grown in the same building to supply produce to different market needs in accordance to demand and preference.
12. Creation of employment opportunities.
The farms employ people to work in them and these are paid salaries
13. Faciliates production of organic produce
Organic produce is that which is produced without chemicals like pesticides and herbicides. the produce is in its natural state and has no effect on the health of people.
Disadvantages of indoor vertical farming.
- Large capital investment
The equipment in indoor vertical farming used is expensive and facilities require much money to set up. You can always start small but it would take some time to break even or to grow. To get maximum profits, you have to go big or go home.
2. Need of expertise.
The farms require some expertise to operate so you would always need to employ people who actually know what they are doing.
3. Some pests can camouflage
Since the Led lights used give off a pinkish glow due to their spectra, some pests can camouflage and multiply. If not detected early, this can be disastrous. Routine checks have to be done and once again, employ people who know what they are doing.
4. High energy costs
The lights consume energy to operate and this can be quite a lot if one buys cheap energy sucking bulbs. LED lights are preferred.
The lights are also put on for long hours to maximize production eliminating factors like day length so that the plants can produce effectively. This also results in high energy costs.
conclusion
Vertical farming is one of the ways to reduce food insecurity and supply food to the masses in urban areas and those in poor climates. It’s also a very viable business that creates jobs for people and earns owners large amounts of income. This helps to reduce poverty and increase economic stability. Further practices under this farming system will be discussed in the coming posts so continue reading the blog. Please let me know your thoughts in the comments.