Hydroponic Food Production to Play Significant Role in Foreseeable Future

• Sep 24
• Admin
• 4

“How hydroponic helps in the future” can be gauged by the fact that there will be 9.7 billion people living on this earth by the year 2050 (UN 2019) requiring huge tracts of land to be put under farming for food production, that will add to global warming and climate change as well as huge pressure on land, water and energy resources. Therefore, in the foreseeable future alternative methods of food production i.e. hydroponic farming in its various forms holds great promise in meeting the challenges posed by burgeoning world population, rapid urbanization, global warming, climate change and pressure on land and water resources.

Although, protected and indoor farming in various types of improvised structures and greenhouses both in soil and soilless systems has been carried out since long, yet, application of advanced hydroponic technology in the form of hydroponic vertical farming under controlled environment has brought a sea change in efficiency, profitability and commercialization of hydroponic farming. Indoor vs vertical farming essentially differs in two aspects first, all indoor farming may or may not be soilless second, it may not utilize the vertical space of the controlled environment. Vertical farming on the other hand is entirely an indoor hydroponic soilless cultivation system carried out indoors under controlled environment that utilizes vertical space of controlled environment to the most. Now a days most of the hydroponic vertical farming uses LED lighting and the nutrient solution is recirculated as against run to waste in general greenhouse cultivation. In view of higher capital and operational costs involved in hydroponic vertical farming system, selection of profitable hydroponic crops and market tie ups for the sale of hydroponic produce shall be desirable for a successful venture. In this regard, School of Hydroponics of Institute on Horticulture Technology at Greater Noida provides complete consultancy on establishment and operationalization of hydroponic vertical farming system to various stake holders.