[December Thematic Report] Hydroponics for Managing urbanizationby Elina Haber | 29-02-2024 23:25 |
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 Lebanon is a small country with an area of 10,452 km2. It has a lot of people living in cities, especially near the coast. Big cities like Sour, Saida, Tripoli, and Beirut are where most people live. About 90% of people in Lebanon live in cities, and 64% of them live in Tripoli and Beirut. The cities by the sea are very crowded. In 2020, there were about 667 people living in each square kilometer in these cities. This is a lot more than in 2000 when there were 307 people per square kilometer in all of Lebanon. Cities have grown a lot in the last 60 years. In 1963, there were 221 km2 of city areas. This grew to 465 km2 in 1994 and 741 km2 in 2005. It is thought that by 2030, there will be 884 km2 of city areas. A place is called a city if more than 5,000 people live there. Lebanon has about 6.8 million people, and 70% of them live in the coastal area. The coast is 225 km long and has a lot of important businesses and big cities. The coast is also divided into different parts. There are 50 km of city areas, 49 km of beaches and dunes, 11 km of rocky places without soil, 34 km of areas with fruit trees, 24 km of big factories or shops, 18 km of places for tourists, and 23 km of ports. So, why do we need to use HYDROPONICS to adapt to URBANIZATION? Hydroponics is a term encompassing various soilless cultivation techniques. It is a relatively simple cultivation system that requires minimal equipment and low costs. It is the first soilless plant cultivation that was developed on an industrial scale. It allows plants better access to oxygen, water, and nutrients. Some advantages of hydroponics include increased yield per square meter, water and energy savings, reduced growth period, control over pH and electrical conductivity which assists plants in meeting their needs. However, there are also disadvantages, such as being a non-ecological system as the nutrient solution is not reusable after watering the substrates, significant waste accumulation often non-recyclable, and increased humidity in the cultivation environment. From an economic perspective, while there are high costs of equipment and infrastructure, the reduction in water consumption and the ability to cultivate year-round contribute to profitability. Environmentally, it allows for water conservation, reduced contamination and usage of herbicides and pesticides, and sustainability thanks to improved control over factors influencing plant health. There are various forms of hydroponics such as the drip system, Deep Water Culture hydroponics, and Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) systems. In the Deep Water Culture Hydroponics system, the roots of the plants are submerged in a nutrient-rich solution. They are supported by floating platforms or net pots. An air pump or diffuser supplies oxygenation to the solution. Air stones or other aeration devices are generally used to ensure the nutrient solution is properly oxygenated. For the Drip System, a slow supply of nutrient solution is dripped onto the plants, providing them with continuous health and moisture. There is reuse and recirculation of the nutrient solution back into the reservoir, ensuring plant moisture and health without flooding the cultivation medium. Since the nutrient solution is constantly recycled in drip systems, the pH value may change with this recirculation. The Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) system is suitable for plants with short growth cycles. Plants are grown in channels or troughs that are slightly inclined to allow a thin film of nutrient-rich water to flow over the plant roots. Excess solution is collected, reoxygenated, and recirculated to maintain a constant flow. The nutrient solution provides nutrients and oxygen to the plant roots. Monitoring of pH and electrical conductivity (EC) is necessary to ensure the balance of nutrients received. Temperature and humidity levels must also be maintained to promote optimal plant growth. Aeroponics is a system that optimizes plant growth by creating an ideal balance between the circulation of the nutrient solution and the amount of dissolved oxygen. It is one of the most recent developments in soilless cultivation techniques and is also one of the most sophisticated. Some advantages of aeroponics include being environmentally friendly, significant reduction in water, fertilizer, and pesticide consumption, and faster plant growth without the impact of soil health. However, it requires precise mineral concentration in the solution and comes with risks such as calculation errors, malfunctioning machines, plant drying, and increased electricity consumption required for system operation. Automatic Hydroponics Farming System with Image Processing Based Smart Nutrients System, IRJET Hydroponic Irrigation System – Feasible, Suitable and Sustainable Method, IJIMEs Basics of Hydroponic Horticulture, ALISON COURSES |
