WHAT IS VERTICAL FARMING?

Vertical farming is a type of agriculture where crops are grown in vertically

stacked layers, often in controlled environments like warehouses or skyscrapers. This
innovative approach to agriculture offers numerous advantages, including increased
productivity, reduced water usage, and minimized pesticide reliance. Vertical farming
seeks to ensure the sustainability of our cities proactively by addressing food security
to the world’s ever-increasing urban population. In principle, it is a simple concept;
farm up rather than out. The body of literature on the subject distinguishes between
three types of vertical farming. The first type refers to the construction of tall
structures with several levels of growing beds, often lined with artificial lights. This
often modestly sized urban farm has been springing up around the world. Many cities
have implemented this model in new and old buildings, including warehouses that
owners repurposed for agricultural activities. The second type of vertical farming
takes place on the rooftops of old and new buildings, atop commercial and residential
structures as well as on restaurants and grocery stores. The third type of vertical farm
is that of the visionary, multi-story building. In the past decade, we have seen an
increasing number of serious visionary proposals of this type. However, none has
been built. It is important, however, to note the connection between these three
types, the success of modestly sized vertical farm projects and the maturation of their
technologies will likely pave the way for the skyscraper farm
Environmentalists, urban farmers, architects, agronomists, and public health
experts, among others, have been joining this mini revolution as they partner to work
out a way to salvage a food-scarce, ultra-urbanized future. A wide number of
technology experts have converged on the concept of vertical farming, advancing the
fields of robotics, aeroponics, aquaponics, and hydroponics. Non-profits organizations,
aiming to promote environmentalism and local economic prosperity, have been
backing the vertical farm concept. Similarly, for-profit ventures that seek to meet the
demand for local produce have supported this concept. Further, governments looking
for ways to boost domestic food security have been funding these endeavours.
Numerous countries including Korea, Japan, China, Germany, the United Arab
Emirates, China, France, India, Sweden, Singapore, and the United States, have
convened to discuss vertical farming. They have repeatedly endorsed the concept as
integral to the long-term sustainability of their cities.
The idea of vertical farming is not entirely new. Examples of it can be found
dating back to the ancient era in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of Philon’s
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, built around 600 BC. In 1915, Gilbert Ellis Bailey
coined the term “vertical farming” and wrote a book titled “Vertical Farming”. He
argued that farming hydroponically in a controlled vertical environment would provide
economic and environmental benefits. In the early 1930s, William Frederick Gericke
pioneered hydroponics at the University of California at Berkley. In the 1980s, Åke
Olsson, a Swedish ecological farmer, also proposed vertical farming as a means for
producing vegetables in cities. He is known for having invented a spiral-shaped rail
system for growing plants. Around the turn of the century, Dickson Despommier, an
American ecologist, and professor of public health, passionately revived the concept
of vertical farming. He described the vertical farm as “the mass cultivation of plant
and animal life for commercial purposes in skyscrapers. Using advanced greenhouse
technology such as hydroponics and aeroponics, the vertical farm could theoretically
produce fish, poultry, fruit, and vegetables”. The vertical farm is considered to
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promote sustainable agricultural practices more than that by conventional farming,
which refers to large scale, outdoor agriculture that embraces systems that engage
heavy irrigation, intensive tillage and excessive use of fertilizers, pesticides, and
herbicides.

1.5. WHY VERTICAL FARMS?

1.5.1. FOOD SECURITY

Food security has become an increasingly important issue. Demographers
anticipate that urban population will dramatically increase in the coming decades. At
the same time, land specialists (e.g., agronomists, ecologists, and geologists) warn of
rising shortages of farmland. For these reasons, food demand could exponentially
surpass supply, leading to global famine. The United Nation (UN) estimates that the
world’s population will increase by 40%, exceeding 9 billion people by the year 2050.
The UN also projects that 80% of the world’s population will reside in cities by this
time. Further, it predicts that by 2050 we will need 70% more food to meet the
demands of 3 billion more inhabitants worldwide. Food prices have already
skyrocketed in the past decades, and farmers predict that prices will increase further
as oil costs increase and water, energy, and agricultural resources diminish. The
sprawling fringes of suburban development continue to eat up more and more
farmland. On the other hand, urban agriculture has been facing problems due to land
scarcity and high costs. We desperately need transformative solutions to combat this
immense global challenge.
The logic of vertical farming is simple: produce more food on less land. The
same rationale that we use to stack homes and offices in limited and expensive land,
such as in Hong Kong or Manhattan, can apply to farming. Proponents of the vertical
farm claim that it would create compact and self-sufficient ecosystems that cover
multiple functions, from food production to waste management. Vertical farming could
enable food production in an efficient and sustainable manner, save water and
energy, enhance the economy, reduce pollution, provide new employment
opportunities, restore ecosystems, and provide access to healthy food. In a controlled
environment, crops will be less subject to the vagaries of climate, infestation, the
nutrient cycle, crop rotation, polluted water runoff, pesticides, and dust. As such,
indoor farming could possibly offer a healthier environment to grow food. Since indoor
farming operates year-round and is independent of weather conditions, it could also
provide greater yields and perpetual income. Furthermore, indoor farming provides a
low-impact system that can significantly reduce travel costs, as well as reduce GHG
emissions, by cutting down on travel distances between distant farms and local
market. Also, vertical farming could ignite local economies by providing much needed
“green collar” jobs to urban areas.
Importantly, vertical farms could help in addressing the problem of farmland
shortages India faces a significant challenge of dwindling agricultural land. The
country's population growth, coupled with increasing urbanization and
industrialization, has led to a steady decline in arable land. The average landholding
size for farmers has decreased significantly over the years, with many farmers owning
less than one hectare of land. This fragmentation of landholdings hampers efficient
farming practices and limits agricultural productivity. Additionally, land degradation,

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caused by factors like soil erosion, water scarcity, and unsustainable farming
practices, further exacerbates the problem. As a result, India's ability to feed its
growing population and ensure food security is increasingly threatened by this
shrinking land resource.

1.5.2. CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate change, a pressing global issue, is caused by the excessive emission of
greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere. Human activities,
such as burning fossil fuels for energy, deforestation, and industrial processes,
contribute significantly to this problem. The consequences of climate change are far-
reaching, affecting various aspects of life on Earth.

Rising global temperatures have led to more frequent and intense heatwaves,
droughts, and wildfires. Coastal cities face the threat of sea-level rise, causing coastal
erosion and flooding. Extreme weather events, like hurricanes and typhoons, have
become more powerful and destructive. Furthermore, climate change disrupts
ecosystems, leading to biodiversity loss and affecting agriculture and food production.

1.5.3. URBAN DENSITY

Urban density, characterized by high population concentrations and limited land
availability, presents unique challenges for food production. Traditional agriculture is
often incompatible with urban environments, leading to reliance on long-distance food
transportation and increased carbon emissions. Vertical farming, a revolutionary
approach to agriculture, offers a sustainable solution to these challenges.
By cultivating crops in vertically stacked layers within controlled indoor
environments, vertical farming maximizes land use efficiency and reduces the need
for extensive outdoor agricultural land. This innovative method allows for year-round
production, regardless of weather conditions, and minimizes the use of pesticides and
fertilizers.
Furthermore, vertical farms can be integrated into urban infrastructure, such as
rooftops, abandoned buildings, and unused urban spaces. This strategic placement
reduces transportation costs and minimizes the environmental impact associated with
long-distance food distribution.
1.5.4. HEALTH
Usual farming uses lots of pesticides and harmful chemicals for the crops. By
growing crops in controlled indoor environments, it eliminates the need for pesticides
and harmful chemicals, resulting in healthier and safer produce. This minimizes
exposure to potentially toxic substances that can have adverse health effects.
Additionally, vertical farming allows for year-round production of fresh, locally sourced
food, reducing the reliance on long-distance transportation and preserving nutrient
content. This ensures consumers have access to nutritious and high-quality produce,
contributing to improved public health.

1.5.5. THE ECOSYSTEM

Traditional agriculture has been encroaching upon natural ecosystems for
millennia. According to Dickson Despommier, “Farming has upset more ecological
processes than anything else—it is the most destructive process on earth”. In the past
half century or so, the Brazilian rainforest has been severely impacted by agricultural
encroachment, with some 1,812,992 km2 (700,000 mi2) of hardwood forest being
cleared for farmland. Despommier suggested that encroachment on these ancient
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ecosystems is furthering climate change. In this way, indoor vertical farming can
reduce the agricultural impact on the world’s ecosystems by restoring biodiversity
and reducing the negative influences of climate change. If cities employed vertical
farms to produce merely 10% of the ground area they consume, this might help to
reduce CO2 emissions enough to develop better technological innovations for
improving the condition of the biosphere long-term. By eliminating fertilizer runoff,
coastal and river water could be restored, and fish stock of wild fish could increase.
Wood, et al. summarize this point by stating “The best reason to consider converting
most food production to vertical farming is the promise of restoring [the] services and
functions [of ecosystems]”

1.5.6. Economics
Proponents of the vertical farm also argue that it will supply competitive food
prices. The rising expense of traditional farming is quickly narrowing the cost gap. For
example, when vertical farms are located strategically in urban areas, it would be
possible to sell produce directly to the consumer, reducing transportation costs by
removing the intermediary, which can constitute up to 60% of costs. Vertical farms
also utilize advanced technologies and intensive farming methods that can
exponentially increase production. Researchers have been optimizing indoor farming
by calibrating, tuning and adjusting a wide-range of variables including light intensity,
light colour, space temperature, crop and root, CO 2 contents, soil, water, and air
humidity.In addition, vertical farming provides an opportunity to support the local
economy. Abandoned urban buildings can be converted into vertical farms to provide
healthy food in neighbourhoods where fresh produce is scarce. Additionally, the high-
tech environment of indoor farming can make it fun to farm. Hence, a technology-
savvy younger generation has been enticed by the practice, grooming a new breed of
farmers. Further, vertical farming provides impetus in the development of innovative
agricultural technologies. Finally, it could reconnect city dwellers with nature through
the activity of farming.

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