[Thematic Report] The Way Forwardby Tuvimanyu Gautam | 25-11-2023 23:32 |
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 The term Sustainable Technology means different things to different populations based on which part of the world they inhabit. It is so because what is a way of life in one region, may be considered a novelty in another part. Sometimes the reason could be as simple as the fact that what is considered sustainable in one region may actually strain the resources in another. Yet, there are some global issues which are on the top of the mind of every nation. Food security being one of them. The unprecedented march of climate change combined with the experience of pandemic era has shaped the present concern. The challenge is to find innovative ways to address the demands of growing population. Vertical farming is one such innovative sustainable technology which has the potential of ensuring food security. It is also a perfect fit for nations which look to judiciously use water resources and minimise environmental impact. Conceptualised in 1999 by Dickson Despommier. Professor of Public & Environmental Health at Columbia University, it started as a simple challenge for students to calculate the potential of growing food on New York rooftops. It soon caught the world¡¯s imagination and since 2010, has been commercialised in various countries. In the UAE, it is being heavily promoted by the government and increasingly embraced by food industry. Over the years, many variations of vertical farming have risen. The three most famous common indoor vertical farming systems- aquaponics, aeroponics and hydroponics use soilless cultivation methods to provide healthy nutrition to plants. Hydroponics helps to grow plants without soil as plant roots are kept immersed in water and all required micronutrients are supplied by mixing them in water. This gives a better yield per area and reduces water consumption. Aquaponics takes hydroponics a step further. It creates a closed symbiotic loop between fish and vegetables mimicking the natural waterways. The mineral needs of the plant are fulfilled by the waste-water from Aquaponics ( fish farming). The plants, in turn, maintain the temperature for healthy thriving of the fish inside the fish tank. In aquaponics, one has to be mindful of choosing the right combination of fishes and plants. The third variation removes the requirement of growing medium like soil or water. Plants are suspended in air chambers and exposed to mist of liquid solution containing macronutrients for plant growth. By using only 10% of water needed for conventional aquaponics system, Aeroponics has proved itself to be the most sustainable soilless growing technique. As the use of gravity to drain extra water reduces energy footprint, this technique is gaining traction. Interestingly, as a technology finds its footing, the innovations to enhance it begin making appearances. To overcome the absence of sunlight in vertical environments, LED lighting is being employed. According to Dr. Toyoki Kozai, this LED lighting provides ¡°optimal light quality for vegetative growth, reproductive growth, and/or secondary metabolite production of crops with use of minimum electricity consumption¡°. Studies show that food produced is safer, nutritious and less labour intensive as compared to traditional farms. Nowadays, vertical farms can be found on rooftops, old buildings, shipping containers, old tunnels and closed mines. In fact, a small vertical farm built under a mountain in South Korea is an interesting choice of place. Located inside an abandoned 600 metre tunnel, it is used to grow fruits and vegetables. The constant temperatures in such tunnels bring down the heating/cooling costs. USA leads the march of nations towards vertical farming. In Asia region, Japan, China, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand are trail-blazers. In Europe, vertical farms can be found in Germany, France, UK, and the Netherlands and some other nations. The concept can be popularised by sustained government support and incentives. If this happens, it might be the key to reduce the overall carbon footprint of farming sector. |
