Are indoor vertical farms the future of agriculture? | Stuart Oda
Global Food Challenges and Controlled Environment Agriculture
The speaker discusses the impending global food challenge due to population growth and urbanization, emphasizing the need for increased agricultural output. He introduces controlled environment agriculture as a solution to address these challenges efficiently.
Global Food Challenge
- By 2050, the global population is projected to reach 9.8 billion, with 68% residing in urban areas.
- Agricultural output needs to increase by 70% over current levels to feed this growing population.
- Global food waste amounts to one-third of all produced food, leading to significant challenges in maintaining food safety.
Controlled Environment Agriculture
- Controlled environment agriculture involves weather-proof farming using vertical racks for three-dimensional food growth.
- Indoor vertical farming is gaining popularity due to consumer demand for safe and traceable food sources.
- Artificial lighting like full spectrum LEDs replaces natural sunlight in indoor vertical farms for efficient plant growth.
Technology and Innovations in Indoor Vertical Farming
The speaker delves into the technology behind indoor vertical farming, highlighting its efficiency, resource conservation benefits, and production capabilities.
Technology Utilized
- Full spectrum LEDs are used in indoor vertical farms tailored for specific crops' growth requirements.
- Racking systems enable vertical vegetable cultivation, maximizing space utilization up to 14 to 16 floors high.
- Hydroponic or aeroponic systems replace soil with materials like polyurethane sponges for plant growth.
Benefits of Indoor Vertical Farming
- Year-round vegetable production ensures consistent quality and predictable output.
- Significant resource efficiencies are achieved, particularly water conservation compared to conventional farming methods.
- Complete control over contaminants eliminates the need for chemical pesticides in indoor vertical farms.
Challenges and Future Developments
The speaker addresses challenges associated with indoor vertical farming such as energy consumption and limited crop variety while discussing ongoing efforts towards innovation and cost reduction.
Challenges Faced
- Energy-intensive nature of indoor vertical farming poses a challenge despite its benefits.
- Limited commercial variety of vegetables grown compared to traditional farming methods.
Robotics in Automation and Urban Farming
The speaker discusses the use of robotics in automation, particularly in large-scale facilities, and highlights the benefits of indoor vertical farming in urban areas to improve access to nutritious vegetables.
Robotics in Automation
- Indoor vertical farms can help shorten the agricultural supply chain and maintain nutritional content in vegetables.
Urban Farming Benefits
- Urban vertical farming can provide equitable access to high-quality, nutritious vegetables even in underprivileged communities.
- Integration of indoor vertical farming into urban infrastructure can repurpose underutilized spaces like parking structures for vegetable cultivation.
- Underutilized infrastructure includes not only large civil engineering projects but also smaller spaces like idle restaurant corners or office corners.
Passion for Agricultural Industry
The speaker expresses their passion for working in the agricultural industry, emphasizing the joy and challenges associated with improving access to fresh produce through innovative projects.
Joy of Agricultural Work
- Working on projects that enhance access and affordability of fresh produce is fulfilling and intellectually challenging.
- Installation of farms in various underutilized urban spaces showcases the versatility and impact of agricultural initiatives.
Personal Motivation
The speaker reflects on a unique revelation regarding the influence of one's name on personality traits and professional choices, leading to a deeper understanding of personal motivation.
Influence of Name
- A study linking last names to personality traits sparked a realization about how personal decisions are influenced by subtle factors like one's name.