Vertical farming is gaining popularity for a while. The United Nations estimates that the world’s population will dramatically increase from 7.8 billion people to 9.7 billion by 2020-2050. This population explosion may be due to a rising number of urban dwellings – nearly two-thirds of the world’s population will likely live in urban areas. In recent years, incomes have increased due to increasing industrialization.

These changes are generating a new, more diverse, wealthy, and more demanding population. To meet the population’s high expectations, we must emphasise increasing sustainable food production and agricultural productivity over the next few years.

Vertical farming is a popular concept that has been around for some time. The United Nations estimates that the world’s population will dramatically increase from 7.8 billion people to 9.7 billion by 2020-2050. This population explosion may be due to a rising number of urban dwellings – nearly two-thirds of the world’s population will likely live in urban areas. In recent years, incomes have increased due to increasing industrialization. These changes are creating a new, more diverse, wealthy, and more demanding population. To meet the rising expectations of this population, we must place a strong emphasis on increasing sustainable food production and agricultural productivity over the next few years. Experts agree that if the world is to deal with the huge increase in food demand over the next few years, there must be solutions to replenish natural resources. 

Vertical farming, a new trend in agriculture, could be one such solution. This revolutionary technology is more sustainable than the conventional version and is expected to be driven by the urgent need for sustainability in our current landscape. Vertical farming methods can produce nearly 240 times more crop yields than conventional farms. They also require 99% less land and 98% less water. Vertical farming works with controlled environmental resources. 

It can be done in areas that are not suitable for agriculture, such as shipping containers and vacant warehouses. Below are three key developments that will shape the future vertical farming market and, in essence, agriculture itself. 

AI for vertical agriculture – 

Lots are revolutionizing urban farming through robotics. According to Algorithmia’s 2021 Enterprise Trends in Machine Learning report (Algorithmia 2021 Enterprise Trends in Machine Learning report), more than 50% of businesses surveyed indicated plans to increase their expenditures for AI (Artificial Intelligence) and ML (Machine Learning). Only 20% have increased their budgets. A significant portion of recent business expenditures will develop AI-based tools and machines across various industrial sectors. 

AI is being used in agriculture and farming. Modern farmers and other key players in the agricultural industry can track and control the development of their plants using AI-powered tools, robotics, and soil moisture. This information is then used to determine the yield data. Plenty, an agricultural technology startup based in San Francisco, has created a climate-controlled vertical farm to reinvent farming. These farms are equipped with AI-powered robots that control temperature, watering, and lighting. They can produce over 720 acres of vegetable and fruit yields from just 2 acres. To replicate sunlight, the facility uses LED panels. This creates optimal conditions for growth around the clock. Additionally, traditional farms are less wasteful due to the recycling and recapture of evaporated waters. 

The next-generation, AI-powered vertical farm technology has been designed to be a modern and highly efficient alternative to conventional farming methods. It can reduce both land and water use by up to 99% and 95%, respectively. 

The potential step towards a circular agriculture economy with YASAI

Studies show that the global economy consumes over 90 trillion natural resources, and only 8% of these resources are used for other purposes. Increasing industrialization has resulted in rising resource demand and climate changes. This has, in turn, led to an increase in environmental hazards like droughts and floods, as well as water scarcity. 

A circular economy model is the best solution to these problems, as it will both combat climate change and improve the economy. YASAI, a Swiss startup, has developed a model that combines vertical farming technologies with a circular economy model. This allows customers to grow more and produce sustainable food. The startup started as a Master’s Thesis. It was created to transform an agriculturally inhospitable limestone quarry in one of the smallest countries into one of the largest vertical farming facilities. YASAI is focusing on health, sustainability and circularity. Numerous efforts have been made to transform La Sarraz’s agricultural landscape. These include recycling concrete for grey energy mitigation, recycling nutrients and leveraging existing limestone mines as a natural cooling solution. The startup also uses rooftop rainwater for irrigation, a geothermal heat pump that allows for internal cooling via activated ceilings and repurposed biowaste to generate electricity, and CO2 from compressors to support its plant growth. 

YASAI’s vertical farm is working to achieve a fresh produce yield of nearly 3,525 tons per year. It also captures 614 tons of carbon dioxide annually. This will help shed light on the role of vertical farming technologies in achieving circularity. 

Aeroponics is a revolutionary alternative for traditional soil and water-based agriculture. 

Many areas have seen a rise in soil erosion over the years, which has led to a severe shortage of farmland. Vertical farming trends may be boosted by rising climate concerns and this factor. Vertical farming using aeroponics is a boon for these conditions since it relies on air and uses almost 95% less space and water. Many studies and innovations in alternative agriculture have been made in response to the recent desire to grow plant life even in adverse environments. AeroFarms is an indoor vertical farming pioneer. It was founded in 2004 and has since built the Model 5 vertical farm. Aeroponics is the firm’s proprietary technology. It combines engineering, data science and genetics to ensure that over 550 plant varieties, including tomatoes, berries, and leafy greens, are produced year-round. 

This technology can be used regardless of weather changes or seasonal changes. Over the next few decades, the world appears to be on the brink of a major food crisis. However, technology advancements and increasing financial support could prove to be a crucial solution to the gap between the growing population and agricultural capabilities.

Source:- Intelligentliving

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