Lettuce farming in a modern hydroponic vertical farm which uses only 1% of water a normal soil based farm would require.
You may have been hearing a lot more of the term ‘vertical farming’ recently. This is unsurprising as the industry has had a huge growth and is predicted to be worth around £16bn by 2026. The pandemic has been a catalyst for changing mindsets about food sourcing – with consumers focusing more on supporting local businesses, obtaining more organic food and learning where their food has come from. But what actually is a vertical farm and how does this relate to District Eating?
Vertical farming is done indoors, whether that be in an underground basement, a building or even a shipping container. The plants are stacked in vertical layers under artificial lighting and the temperature of the room is controlled. Space is used more efficiently, and the farms have faster harvest cycles, and can be cropped year-round. Vertical farms are said to use up to 95% less water than regular farming as the plants are grown in a soil-free environment and evaporated water can be reused. This is a huge benefit to the advancing industry as agriculture currently is the largest user of water globally. Vertical farms are also protected from external factors such as the weather and pests.
So, are vertical farms the future of agriculture? Whilst low water usage and production efficiencies are clear, this method isn’t perfect. Firstly, our pursuit of increased crop yield leading us to a loss of biodiversity. This is due to vertical farming creating an environment without animals and having limited choices on crops grown. Some may argue that restoring these indoor spaces and transforming them into vertical farms is leaving more space outdoors for biodiversity however, that is, if that space is left and not used for something else. Also, at least 50% of the costs in a vertical farming comes from the lighting and air conditioning and uses between 35-176KWh per kg more than a greenhouse. On top of high energy costs, labour is expensive due to most vertical farms being situated in urban areas and requiring a unique set of skills On top of high energy costs, labour is expensive due to most vertical farms being situated in urban areas and requiring a unique set of skills for example hand pollination. . These costs are often passed onto the consumer making the end product more expensive. However, if the demand of this industry continues to increase, this method of farming may become more affordable.
At District eating we think that to bring the cost of vertical farming down we need to utilise waste heat from industry. If the heat used for the growth of the crops would alternatively be heading up a chimney or out an industrial flue it makes sense to utilise this waste resource in a way that benefits society and grows food.
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