Traditional farming systems and vertical farming technology share a dependency on agribusiness and the goal of working towards rapid technological advancements to maximize the efficiency and the yield of the growing process. "To provide food sustainably, we must consider all factors of sustainability collectively. This includes environmental, social and economic factors," the team with the Association for Vertical Farming writes in an overview on the main issues addressed by Vertical Farming.
"The vast multitude of problems associated with traditional farming practices are well known. To feed the world’s rapidly growing population and consumer demand, farming and agribusiness have turned to innovative production and management technology, which often focuses intensely on specific parts of the system such as yield, size and harvesting speed."
"While this focus is a great way to optimize a predictable, mechanical system, the same approach is not so appropriate in the context of a natural system, like a traditional farm, which is intrinsically linked to, embedded in and reliant upon the much bigger natural system."
"Unlike traditional farms, vertical farms are much more self-contained and not quite so directly linked to the rest of the natural world system. Vertical Farming technology offers highly promising opportunities that complement the agricultural system and the necessary aim to simultaneously reduce the environmental impact of and increase food production."
Read the complete article at the Association for Vertical Farming.
Association for Vertical Farming