Considering vertical farming as part of a sustainable ag future

We all know that industry insiders are usually so myopic that they don’t see the obvious. Uber vs. Taxis. Blockbuster vs. Netflix. Nokia vs. Apple. So who’s the Amazon that is going to disrupt Ag? I am thinking that at least we have an innovative path looking at vertical farming as a small part of the solution especially because of higher yields and a lower environmental impact. 
 
What are vertical farms?
Basically those are farms that grow crop in vertically stacked layers indoors, optimize plant growth and often incorporate soil-less farming techniques. With climate change and weather out of the equation, and with using state of the art LED lighting tech, vertical farms can produce consistent, high quality yields year-round with minimal waste and lower CO2 emissions compared to traditional farming methods. The aim of indoor vertical farming is to produce more crops while using less space thanks to a controlled environment. 
 
Benefits

• Reliability: crops aren’t dependent on the weather, there is no such thing as a “seasonal crop” because it’s all done in a protected, well-monitored and managed environment. it can be done automatically, bringing predictability to the business of being a grower
  

• Optimal use of space: because stacking grow systems allow to expand upwards, it’s possible to achieve higher productivity on a small land area, making them perfect for cities.
  

• Less water: hydroponic growing process only uses about 10% of water compared to traditional methods. Plus the water is clean after usage, allowing it to be recycled and reused, reducing costs and waste.
  

• Chemicals/pesticides are gone: this is indoors farming, pests cannot enter the controlled environment to cause crop damage and because humidity levels are monitored, fungal diseases struggle to develop, making crops healthier and safer.
  

• Transport costs: because vertical farms can be put in place closer to centers of population, the crops don’t have to travel as far to reach supermarkets, reducing transportation costs and carbon emissions.

 
Drawbacks

• Less pollination: a controlled, indoor environment means expensive manual pollination
  

• Vertical farming can easily make conventional farming obsolete and dated
  

• Costs: Real estate and energy costs: building vertical farms in expensive cities increases total investment; these farms also demand a lot of energy, because of the artificial light being used.

 
Vertical Farming Companies
Because of their growing popularity, more and more vertical farms are starting to appear, here a 2 of the biggest in the world.
 
AeroFarms:  AeroFarms is one of the most successful vertical farming companies, recording more than $130m in investments since its launch in 2004. The farmer uses its own patented aeroponic technology, which provides higher levels of precision and productivity, with little environmental impact and minor risk. Based in New Jersey, AeroFarms claims its methods use 95% less water than standard arable farming.
 
Bowery Farming: Launched in 2015, Bowery is one of the fastest-growing start-ups in the sector, funded at $140m. Headquartered in New York City, supplies several restaurants, uses zero pesticides and non-genetically modified seeds in its operations. Bowery Farming claims its methods use 95% less water than traditional agriculture and are 100 times more productive on the same amount of land.

---

Let me know what you think! 
DM me @philippemora on IG and Twitter
​My name's phil mora and I blog about the things I love fitness, hacking work, tech and anything holistic.