When hearing the word "farmland," the first image that may come to mind is a vast expanse of fields embedded with neatly planted crop rows. Vertical farming inverses this perception, instead providing a maze-like series of leafy walls. The method gets its name from stacking crops for cultivation, a branch of indoor farming. Its perpendicular quality renders it more efficient than conventional farming methods that require flat, horizontal surfaces, yielding more with less space. Much like in greenhouse farming, vertical farmers utilize Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) technology to control variables such as light, humidity, temperature, and exposure to gas. It is favored in urban areas where land is expensive and scarce, as it can be integrated into existing infrastructure like warehouses, shipping containers, and skyscrapers. A novel technology, vertical farming poses challenges and advantages to the environment and people.
Vertical farming is distinctly land-efficient— it expands by layering plant systems atop one another and operates in close quarters. This is especially beneficial considering that by 2050, around 68% of the world population is expected to live in urban areas, according to a United Nations report (World Urbanization Prospects: The 2018 Revision). Vertical farming requires over 90% less land and harvests around 80% more per area unit. By minimizing the destruction of undisturbed lands, it reduces damage to natural habitats, endangered species, and biodiversity as a whole. Alongside land, vertical farming also involves less water; the Columbia University Earth Institute states that vertical farmers require 70% to 95% less than traditional farmers. Whereas conventional farming loses water from evaporation, the closed system for vertical agriculture retains moisture and ensures an optimum humidity level. Vertical farming offers relatively considerable yields despite not consuming as much natural resources. Decreased space increases farmers' comfort while light and temperature moderators quicken growth cycles, resulting in quicker and greater outputs. For instance, vertical farming can achieve 10 times the yield of standard practices in vine plants like tomatoes and greens.
Some express concern that the adoption of vertical farming could destabilize rural economies. In regions where incomes depend primarily on agriculture, vertical farms may replace traditional farms, causing unemployment among farmers who cannot afford the start-up costs of vertical farming. Likewise, vertical farming requires high initial costs as it involves specialized equipment— hydroponic systems and grow lights, for instance, can be costly to purchase, maintain, and repair. The farm must also be situated in a climate-controlled environment, requiring energy for factors that outdoor farming does not. The exact price is difficult to gauge as there are external factors like farm size and auxiliary equipment, but the cost for setup and activation is estimated to be between $10,000 and $100,000 per acre in the US. Because the method is heavily reliant on numerous technologies for lighting, temperature control, and humidity control, a technology issue could easily hamper crop production. Similarly, a power outage or system failure could lead to the crops in a vertical garden being lost. A constant energy supply is vital in vertical farms, as artificial light allows vertical farms to produce crops regardless of the length of the day or season. Rooftop solar panels are not a viable option because they cannot meet such great energy needs. Thus, the energy bills may skyrocket. While vertical farming has tangible benefits, certain economic and technological drawbacks are yet to be resolved. Widespread implementation of the method seems to be a work in progress, as advancements are being made to improve sustainability and efficiency.
Works Cited
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LED iBond. “Vertical farming vs traditional farming – LED iBond.” LED iBond, https://ledibond.com/vertical-farming-vs-traditional-farming/. Accessed 22 June 2024.
Mottech. “Understanding the Pros and Cons of Vertical Farming.” Mottech, https://mottech.com/news/understanding-the-pros-and-cons-of-vertical-farming/. Accessed 22 June 2024.
Scynce LED. “The Advantages & Disadvantages of Vertical Farming.” Scynce LED, https://scynceled.com/blog/vertical-farming-pros-and-cons/. Accessed 22 June 2024.
Sheykin, Henry. “Financial Efficiency: How to Plan Indoor Farming Expenses.” FinModelsLab, 9 June 2024, https://finmodelslab.com/blogs/startup-costs/indoor-vertical-farming-startup-costs. Accessed 22 June 2024.