Vertical and Urban farming
In a previous blog I already mentioned that the world’s population is expected to increase by about 3 billion by 2050. According to an article in Green Economy Conditions it is said nearly 80% of that population will live in urban centres. “It is estimated that we will need about 20% more land than is represented by the country of Brazil to grow enough food to feed the growing population if traditional farming practices continue as they are practiced today. Over 80% of the land that is suitable for raising crops is already in use.
Vertical farming is a proposed technique involving large-scale agriculture in urban high-rise buildings or ‘farm-scrapers’, many stories high, situated in the heart of the world’s urban centers. If successfully implemented, they offer the promise of urban renewal, sustainable production of a safe and varied food supply, year-round crop production of fruit, vegetables, edible mushrooms and algae year-round. By allowing traditional outdoor farms to revert to a natural state and reducing the energy costs needed to transport foods to consumers, vertical farms could also significantly alleviate climate change, and help restore ecosystems that have been sacrificed for horizontal farming.
There are several trials of vertical farming taking place: Valcent’s VertiCrop vertical farming systems pilot plant at the Paignton Zoo Environmental Park in Devon, England; California high-tech greenhouses using vertical farming techniques (Houweling Nurseries); a vertical farm using seawater in Dubai (architectural firm Studiomobile). Valcent has also submitted a bid to grow vegetables for Masdar City.”
Another great example of pro-active urban-farming is the urban agricultural enterprise project of Detroit. Acording to FreshPlaza $15m will be invested in expansion for urban farming in Detroit if the non-profit can come up with the funds.
“Urban farming is big in Detroit, and it’s about to get even bigger. Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan announced the addition of a $15 million, 60-acre urban farm where fruit and vegetables will be grown and sold to local restaurants. The mayor granted 40 acres of city-owned property to the project, joining other land already purchased, to become the future home of fields, greenhouses, and hydroponic systems. This will be the biggest urban farm in Detroit by a wide margin.
The farm will be possible in large part due to a transfer of about 40 acres of city-owned land near Eastern Market to the farm project, some of which still contains uninhabited homes. Mayor Duggan broke the news at the end of October, describing the project as a means of transforming 22 blocks of blighted property into an “urban agricultural enterprise.”
The farm is the golden child of an organization aiming to grow food commercially inside the city and use the profits to support SHAR, a drug addiction recovery agency, including putting recovering addicts and ex-offenders to work. Detroit’s food paradise will be run by RecoveryPark, which already manages a vegetable farm at a former industrial site off East Grand Boulevard near New Center. The new site will span 60 acres and represents a $15 million investment – if the nonprofit can come up with the funds” – FreshPlaza
Another success story is Vertical farming on rise with organic basil for company FarmedHere…
“As aquaponic and hydroponic technology continues to advance, major players in the vertical farming industry are planning to expand into new products and new territories.
FarmedHere, an organic basil and microgreens grower based out of Bedford Park, IL, is one such company. “We’re one of the largest indoor vertical farms in the country,” says Megan Klein, the company’s President. “And we’re definitely the largest running organic operation.”
“According to Klein, the strong response to FarmedHere’s program is largely thanks to growing demand for local and organic produce. “From all the research we’ve done, the demand for local farming exceeds anyone’s ability to supply it.” Klein – and others in her field – believe that climate-controlled, hydroponic/aquaponic farms can help fill that gap.
Technology developing
FarmedHere recently expanded its growing program to include microgreens. “We began growing microgreens in the summer of 2014,” says Klein. “We launched [our microgreens program] with Whole Foods in February of 2015.” Klein reports that response – based on both sales and customer feedback – has been strong.
While FarmedHere’s product line has been somewhat dictated by technological limitations, Klein notes that advancements are occurring rapidly in the field. “[Soon] we’ll have new technology in place to grow more traditional products, like baby greens and salad greens,” says Klein. Based on these developments, FarmedHere is already planning to expand its product line for the upcoming year. “We’ll have bagged and packaged traditional salad greens by the end of 2016.”
New locations planned
FarmedHere is hoping to expand more than just its product line in 2016. As with other vertical farming operations, Klein’s company is looking to new markets where the demand for fresh, locally-grown, year-round produce has created openings. Long-term, FarmedHere has identified 18 cities as targets for expansion. “If we have farms in 18 cities, we’d be able to reach 75% of the national market,” says Klein. “ – FreshPlaza
In the Thomson Reuters Foundation news article on Can Africa’s urban farms go vertical, Esther Ngumbi expressed her voice… “The New York region is set to welcome one of the most impressive indoor urban farming units in history. Known as Aerofarms, it is the latest in a movement known as vertical farming that utilizes abandoned buildings, warehouses and skyscrapers to grow food.
Sophisticated technology based on LED lights, water, nutrients and air dispenses with the need for soil and sun, to grow vegetables for expanding urban populations.
But while the movement is taking hold in cities from Chicago to Manhattan to Singapore to Miyagi Prefecture in Japan it has barely debuted in the megacities of Africa, where the need for safe, nutritious food is urgent.”
Furthermore she said “The proportion of the poor in cities is also growing, and African governments are struggling to keep up with rising demands for improved water, sanitation, housing, transport, jobs – and food.
Increasingly, urban farmers are stepping in to fill the gap. They grow foods close to the big city markets with whatever natural resources are available. Unfortunately, their options are limited, especially when it comes to accessing clean water. “
She continued by saying” The challenge of growing enough healthy food for Africa’s burgeoning cities is huge. At the same time, the stresses of climate change, and the declining availability of arable land and fresh water are challenging conventional agriculture as never before.
Africa needs to move farming closer to urban population hubs, grow more with less, and develop farming technologies and practices that ensure food safety. Doing so will take innovation, investment and collaboration. Vertical farms offer one promising option for meeting these challenges, and we already see modest versions in some African cities. For example, in Nairobi’s Kibera neighborhood-the largest slum in Africa-many residents have taken to urban sack farming.
Instead of the trendy rooftop gardens or skyscrapers farms, these vertical farms are simply tall sacks filled with soil. Vegetables are grown vertically through holes poked at multiple levels of the sacks, and provide needed nutrition for poor households.
At the other end of the spectrum, innovators in South Africa are proposing sophisticated indoor farms, including an architectural model for vertical hydroponic farm in the Old Pretoria West Power Station.
We need to turn such ideas into reality. In the megacities of rich countries, investors are beginning to count on vertical farms as viable businesses, and vertical farming is increasingly viewed as a desirable career. In fact, Yahoo listed it as one of five careers of the future.” – find the full article in the Thomson Reuters Foundation news.
Vertical and urban farming might seem like something out of a sci-fi movie and is definitely not something we can just up and do, but with the rite resources, investments and interest we could make this part of the solution, to feed a growing population, to grow healthier cities and create work for millions. The following link illustrates urban and vertical farming perfectly. https://youtu.be/SQkwKND3Z-o