Why vertical farming is becoming more popular

Vertical farming is the practice of growing crops indoors in vertically stacked layers. Often, they’re housed in tall glass buildings where the temperature, humidity, and light conditions can be controlled. Here are a few reasons why vertical farming is gaining popularity.

• It uses less space. Vertical farms can fit inside virtually any size building, thus requiring 98 percent less land. Consequently, vertical farms can feed more people because they can grow more food per square foot than a traditional farm.

• It uses less water. Vertical farms use 95 percent less water than conventional, soil-based growing methods. This is because the water is recycled and can be easily controlled and regulated.

• It uses fewer chemicals. Since vertical farming crops are grown in controlled indoor environments, there are virtually no pests. This means that vertical farms can easily grow organic, pesticide, and herbicide-free crops.

• It produces higher yields. With vertical farming, seasons don’t matter. Since harvests are not climate-related, many crops can be harvested multiple times per year. In addition, being able to create the optimal growing environment leads to increased yields and crop quality.

Vertical farming maximizes the use of natural resources and has the potential to help address food insecurity, save resources and prevent deforestation.