Hope 22
Vertical Farming for Kerala
Stating the obvious:
- Population is rising. We are projected to touch 10B people by 2050 globally. Therefore, land available is diminishing. Large scale farming has not been economically feasible in Kerala for a long time (Our population density is crazy!).
- Water is scarce. 80% of water used in farming is lost to evaporation.
- Chemical pesticides, insecticides and fertilizers have proven to be carcinogenic.
- Pandemics like COVID 19 have shown that global food supply chains can be unreliable, and some level of self-sufficiency is important for basic necessities.
- Technology has developed to a point where you don’t need to have hereditary knowledge of farming.
A path to self-sufficiency:
If we can’t farm horizontally, we have to begin growing vertically. This has already been proven in high density places like New York, Israel and Japan. They have turned to vertical farming in converted warehouses, factories, shipping containers and homes proving higher yield per square meter and better tasting produce than traditional farming.
What is Vertical Farming:
Vertical farming is the practice of growing crops in vertically stacked layers. It often incorporates controlled-environment agriculture, which aims to optimize plant growth, and soilless farming techniques such as hydroponics, aquaponics, and aeroponics.
It is a technology intensive practice. Sensors are monitoring all aspects of the environment like light, humidity, nutrients in water etc. helping the grower make precise adjustments to get the best possible results. The lack of exposure to outside elements mean that almost no water is lost to evaporation and there is no threat of pests.
How can we implement it?
- As a business: Vertical farming is more tech than growing. With a relatively small space, almost anyone can start up. Good software and sensor solutions mean that you don’t necessarily need a background in agriculture to be successful at it. This will also mean the growth of several support industries like those who make sensors, software, shelving equipment, LED lights etc.
- At home: Mini kits that fit in backyards, kitchens or balconies that help grow essential herbs and vegetables are already prevalent in many countries. You are able to monitor the essential signs of your plants from an App making it an enjoyable conversation starter at the coffee break.
Helpful Resources:
World Economic Forum – What is vertical farming? What are the benefits?
CBS This Morning – How Aerofarms vertical farms grow produce
Kimbal Musk’s Farm of the future
PBS NewsHour Aquaponics farming saves water, but can it feed the country?
Al Jazeera: Earthrise – Japan’s Future Farms
Bloomberg – The High-Tech Farmer
Aquaponics Design – 3 Easiest System Builds for the Backyard
Aquaponics System – $75 How we easily build aquaponics garden
TED Are indoor vertical farms the future of agriculture?
Hope 21
We have less land and lesser resources, our youth are so smart they can create most appropriate technology to increase the yield and support self-sufficiency
in food produce. there is no need to reinvent anything we just need to take the best practices around the world. this is one of the best.
We can use Keltron to develop AI and IOT based solutions and if we hold a hackathon our brilliant youth will create solutions for every challenge we have
There is no point using mundane methods If our aim is to make our state self-sustainable and self-sufficient we have to use technology for sustainable development and for farming too
Vertical farming is another methodology as we have lesser space.
Please get the department officers to read this article about the great
Masanobu Fukuoka (Japanese: 福岡 正信, Hepburn: Fukuoka Masanobu, 2 February 1913 – 16 August 2008) was a Japanese farmer and philosopher celebrated for his natural farming and re-vegetation of desertified lands. He was a proponent of no-till, no-herbicide grain cultivation farming methods traditional to many indigenous cultures,[1] from which he created a particular method of farming, commonly referred to as “natural farming” or “do-nothing farming”.[2][3][4]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masanobu_Fukuoka
https://www.eater.com/2018/7/3/17531192/vertical-farming-agriculture-hydroponic-greens
Please watch this you tube video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1DT4yvxpMw&feature=youtu.be
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