The method of “vertical farming,” which involves growing crops in layers that are stacked vertically, is becoming more popular due to higher production possibilities as the global population continues to rise. According to a recent United Nations estimate, the world’s population is projected to reach 8.5 billion people in 2030 and 9.7 billion by 2050.
Growing plants in nutrient-rich water with or without any supporting medium like sand and gravel is known as hydroponics, and it has a history that predates traditional agricultural methods. More recently, in the 1990s, Columbia University professor of public health and microbiologist Dickson Despommier and his students developed the idea for a hypothetical 30-story skyscraper that would house fish and chicken as well as vertical farms growing 100 different types of fruits and vegetables.
The worldwide market worth for vertical farming was estimated at $3.24 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach $24.11 billion by 2030, according to India-based Allied Market Research. Although hydroponics had the lion’s share of the market, the aeroponics sector of the business will have the fastest development in the next years. Vertical farming is done in a controlled environment using hydroponics, aquaponics, or aeroponics, each of which has advantages and disadvantages.
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