How often do you think of the global population? There are currently 7 billion people living on earth, with some estimates of that growing to 11 billion in less than 30 years.
If you’re a farmer or interested in farming, you’re probably aware of the growing need to produce our world’s food. This means more space is required to grow agricultural produce and more room is required to store the yield safely from pests and wildlife (for which, metal buildings for sale could be looked at –they can work as the perfect shelters to store silos and bags of crops).
But we also need to consider that there is only so much that a farmer can grow in a specific amount of time in an open area, especially with climate change leading to unexpected floods, drought, and an increase in the population of locust swarms. This means we, as humans, need new ways to produce more, in a more efficient manner, while also protecting our planet.
Entrepreneurs and the tech world are pitching in to work on the problem. Using science and technology to optimize the farming process in many parts of the world, they expect to boost harvests and ensure quality across the board so that the needs of the present and the future could be met. With tracking tools, genetically modified seeds, and livestock management software, farmers hope to increase their yields and give out a more regular supply of grain and food. But this is only part of the solution. Farming requires land, and land is getting scarce as the population increases. That’s where vertical farming comes into play.
Vertical farming, sometimes called indoor or urban farming, refers to producing food in an indoor environment – using layers of plants to maximize space while controlling factors such as humidity, light, water, temperature and nutrients, Indoor vertical farming stacks can produce higher yields while using less water and soil, compared to traditional agriculture.
Vertical Farming has a myriad of advantages over more traditional ways of growing food. Vertical farming uses 95% less water, emits less CO2 emissions by reducing the number of “food miles” in its process, and it can greatly reduce labor costs by using Cyrus Conveyor (or similar equipment) and robotics.
This industry was worth $1.5 billion back in 2016; that number is estimated to grow to $6.4 billion in less than two years (by 2023). For ways to optimize your vertical farming system, continue reading the infographic below: