What is Vertical Farming?
Vertical Farming: The Future of Food.

What is Vertical Farming?

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Vertical Farming

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A few points in the form of a list about the advantages of vertical farming over traditional agriculture and greenhouse agriculture: If we assume that a lettuce consumes 180 to 250 liters of water in the field to reach a weight of one kilogram, and the same amount in conventional greenhouses is about 30 to 60 liters, in vertical farming this amount is reduced to one liter of water per kilogram of product, which means a revolution in the discussion of water consumption. Secondly, because it is an isolated system, it does not require chemical pesticides, meaning the product produced is 100% healthy. These two items are enough to understand the importance of vertical farming in today's world and what a special place it has in the future of modern agriculture.

The History of Vertical Farming

The concept of vertical farming was first introduced in 1999 by Professor Dickson Despommier of Columbia University, who envisioned growing food in high-rise buildings to combat urban food shortages. However, the roots of the idea stretch back further—hydroponics experiments in the 1940s and greenhouse innovations laid the foundation. By the early 2000s, advances in hydroponics, aeroponics, and LED lighting made vertical farming commercially viable. Today, it’s seen as a revolutionary approach to sustainable, space-efficient agriculture, especially in cities.

How Does Vertical Farming Works?

Vertical farming grows crops in stacked layers or tall structures instead of traditional fields. It uses soilless methods like hydroponics, aeroponics, or aquaponics, combined with controlled environments for light, water, temperature, and nutrients. With the help of LED lighting, sensors, and automation, plants receive exactly what they need to thrive—resulting in higher yields, faster growth, and minimal resource use, all within compact urban spaces.