There is this growing trend of think global and eat local. Many people prefer having local stuff. Local food will obviously be fresher and therefore will be healthier. One can see a lot of urbanisation in the farming methods as more and more people understand the importance of farming at the urban levels.
Therefore, we can see that there is this growing trend of having gardens and mini-farms in terraces,rooftops or in the backyard. You can say that the concept of indoor farming is the in thing today. Let us have a look at some of the high-tech urban farms which are a clear indication of what farming will be in the near future.
1.Underground urban farm
Image Source : I.Telegraph.Co.Uk
Growing herbs and veggies underground are the latest buzz in London.The tunnels for the same are located in London’s Northern Line underground rail link in the Clapham area. The place does not get affected by the changes in the weather and the season and it is possible to carry out farming throughout the year with ease. The biggest advantage is that the environment will not get affected. Crops like radish,celery,mustard, parsley etc can be grown easily.
- Verticrop
Image Source : Philclarkehill
This method helps in reducing the use of water,energy and space. The Verticrop technology is being used by a Vancouver-based company. This technology enables one to grow the same amount of crop as one would grow on a plot of 16 acres in a much smaller space.This Verticrop system has 123 trays which can be placed easily on rooftops. The crop is grown hydroponically.The use of water is a just 8 % and the space used is only 5%.The crops are grown without using any harmful pesticides.
- Edenworks
Image Source : Cityofhumans.Com
This is based on the principle of vertical farming. Currently operating from a rooftop in Brooklyn the main aim of Edenworks is to grow crops on an inclined place. This will obviously result in less use of space. The growing medium is soilless and fish manure is used.Behind the plants are tanks of water with seafood like prawns. The waste water from here is acted upon by good bacteria which in turn produce fertiliser for the crops. This plant food is absorbed by the plants and the water is filtered and returned to the tank. It also has an app with the company’s farm management system.
- Aerofarms
Image Source : Fm.Cnbc.Com
This involves the use of indoor vertical farming for the growth of green leafy vegetables and herbs without the use of sunlight,soil or pesticides. There is no harmful effect on the environment. They claim to be using 95% less water as compared to normal farming methods.They have a superb aeroponic growing system which helps in fast growth of crops. This system is gaining popularity in the US.
- Plantagon
Image Source : FarmingTechnology
This is a Sweden-based company who with their Plantscraper intend to grow veggies and also aim to find a solution to the increasing pollution problem in the city. The building will be in the form of a sphere and inside the glass walls, the plants will be grown. The plant residue and manure will be used to form biogas which will be used for operating the heating and cooling system of the greenhouse.
These are all path-breaking ways of growing vegetables and herbs. These are definitely some of the ways in which farming will be done in the urban areas in the future.
