Vertical farming

Vertical farming is the practice of growing crops in vertically stacked layers.It often incorporates controlled-environment agriculture, which aims to optimize plant growth, and soilless farming techniques such as hydroponics, aquaponics, and aeroponics.Some common choices of structures to house vertical farming systems include buildings, shipping containers, tunnels, and abandoned mine shafts.

The main advantage of utilizing vertical farming technologies is the increased crop yield that comes with a smaller unit area of land requirement. The increased ability to cultivate a larger variety of crops at once because crops do not share the same plots of land while growing is another sought-after advantage. Additionally, crops are resistant to weather disruptions because of their placement indoors, meaning less crops lost to extreme or unexpected weather occurrences.

Vertical farming offers many other advantages. Crops can be grown on a smaller area of land, water can be recycled and used over and over again. Plants grow on minerals and do not need soil.  Many farming products can be harvested more than once per year. With some fruits, like strawberries, up to 30 harvests would be possible.

This new form of farming can also help nature and the environment recover from mistakes humans make when farming. Many resources could be saved, forests could be preserved and desertification limited. Burning less fossil fuels would result in fewer emissions, a reduction of global warming and healthier environments. Especially tropical regions with their high risk of getting diseases like malaria would benefit. We should not also forget the fact that the crops grown through this type of farming is highly nutritious.

Lastly, because of its limited land usage, vertical farming is less disruptive to the native plants and animals, leading to further conservation of the local flora and fauna.

They also say that not all crops can be grown in this way. Wheat and maize, for example, among the world’s most important food source, would be almost impossible to grow because they are too large and heavy. Such farming methods could only apply for lightweight produce, like small fruits, lettuce and other vegetables.

Hezekiah Adedunmola Oluwasanmi Foundation in collaboration with Araromi farms Enterprises is willing to work with farmers who are interested in this high yielding farming system. For more information send us a mail at info@haofoundation.com or call 0806081145