With the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) predicting that arable land per person is projected to decrease by 2050 to one-third of the amount available in 1970, experts here have now started looking into environment-friendly and soil-less Vertical Farming as a viable option to supplement the agricultural production.
In fact, the US, Europe, Japan, Singapore and neighbouring China have already taken the lead in Vertical Farming that envisages production of crops hydroponically (nutrient-enriched water) or aeroponically (nutrient-enriched air), without using soil or compost. The plants can get the required sunlight through glass windows or artificial lights like lED.
"As the land available for farming is fast-shrinking, water supply going dry and given the spurt in population, it is time that we also venture into the Vertical Farming as a self-reliant strategy," said Prabhat Ranjan from the Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC), an autonomous body under the Union Science and Technology Ministry.
The TIFAC is celebrating its 31 Foundation Day on Saturday and on the occasion, it is holding a workshop during which one of the sessions has been allocated for deliberation on opportunities and challenges of Vertical Farming.
Dr T Chakradhar, senior scientist with TIFAC, said that the session will be chaired by Prof. Anupam Varma, formerly national professor and dean ICAR-IARI, with Dr. Murtaza Hasan, principal scientist, Centre for Protected Cultivation Technology, ICAR-IARI speaking on technology aspect while Shriram Gopal, CEO & Co-Founder, Future Farms, Chennai will touch upon the challenges and opportunities of vertical farming in the industry.
Dr. Syed SYH Qadri, senior scientist and Deputy Director from National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad will speak about nutritional values about the agricultural produce through vertical farming.
Chakradhar explained that though Vertical Farming cannot replace importance of conventional farming it is environment friendly and need of the hour as it involves much greater use of technology and automation for land-use optimization. "In simple words, Vertical Farm strategy aims to significantly increase productivity and reduce the environmental footprint within a framework of urban, indoor, climate-controlled high-rise buildings.
"Other advantages include clean and green source of food, along with biosecurity, freedom from pests, droughts, and reduced use of transportation and fossil fuels. Food can be grown year-round in high-rise urban buildings, reducing the need for the carbon-emitting transport of fruit and vegetables," he said.
Talking about the concept, the scientist said that the plant racks in a vertical farm can be fed nutrients by water-conserving, soil-free hydroponic systems and lit by lEDs that mimic sunlight. And they need not be difficult to manage: control software can choreograph rotating racks of plants so each gets the same amount of light, and direct water pumps to ensure nutrients are evenly distributed.
In India, the new age technology is yet to catch up because of its high cost input cost, though GenNext entrepreneurs have already reaping the benefits. Take the case of Ajay Naik, a software engineer-turned-hydroponics farmer who has launched letcetra Agritech, an indoor hydroponics farm, which has been growing good quality, pesticide-free vegetables like various varieties of lettuce and herbs in its 150 sq metre area, said Chakradhar.