vertical farming – Plantiful Bounty

Vertical farming – What are the problems?

Posted on September 10, 2016

Hey there!

This post will be a continuation of my previous post about vertical farming. Today I will be focusing on the problems associated with the rise of vertical farming.

Here is the link to my previous post:

Vertical Farming – Vegetables from the Sky

Singapore is very reliant on the exports of other countries for food. Over 90% of the food consumed in Singapore is imported (AVA, 2015). This emphasizes the importance in increasing the production of local food through farming so that we are less susceptible to external factors and food security can be ensured. However, the problem of land scarcity is causing farming, which usually requires a substantial amount of land, to be at stake. Innovative methods like vertical farms can be the solution in reviving the farming industry and ensuring stable local food production but this is not as easy as it sounds. Innovative methods usually involve the use of high technology which can have a high start-up cost. Moreover, there is a problem of attracting younger Singaporeans to this industry. This can be due to the fact that the farming industry is not well-known considering that most of the younger generation grew up living in an urban environment with little exposure to farms.

“The sector needs young talent to find new and creative ways of farming, so that we can make a difference to people’s lives and the environment”
Benjamin Swan, vertical farmer and co-founder of Sustenir Agriculture

Here lies another problem: What will happen to the traditional farmers? With the rise of methods like vertical farms, making a living will be more difficult for these farmers. There are already signs of these farmers diminishing. In June 2017, 62 farms in Kranji will be relocated to make way for the training grounds under Ministry of Defense (MINDEF) (Ong, 2016). It can be a little problematic for the farmers as shifting land for agriculture can result in inevitable damage for crops. Furthermore, Proposed actions such as the restriction of non-staple food farms and the short 10 to 20 year lease for new sites have left many farmers with no choice but to consider leaving the industry (Ong, 2016). I wonder what can be done regarding this knotty issue.

The farming industry now is very different compared to the past, and I hope that more people can be attracted to think of creative ways for farming to coexist with our urban living. To end off the post, here is a video about an agricultural hub which was shown during the talk at Sky Greens. Even though the hub is only a vision, it can give you a whole new perspective about the possible agriculture scene of Singapore in the future. Enjoy!

Video Courtesy of Sky Greens and Audax Visuals

Cheers!
♣ Johanah

References:

Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore, (2015, December 21), The Food We Eat, Retrieved on 7 September 2016 from: http://www.ava.gov.sg/explore-by-sections/food/singapore-food-supply/the-food-we-eat

Singh, B. (2016, July 6), Vertical Farms on the Rise in Land Scarce Singapore, Retrieved on 7 September 2016, from: http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/vertical-farms-on-the-rise-in-land-scarce-singapore

Audax Visuals, (2015, November 3), Sky Greens, Retrieved on 7 September 2016, from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VdL3iWE-rw

Ong, J, (2016 May 28), Unanswered Questions, Uncertain Future for Krani Farmers, Retrieved on 2 September 2016 from: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/unanswered-questions/2823076.html

Vertical Farming – Vegetables from the Sky

Posted on September 3, 2016

Hey there!

If horizontal does not work, go vertical. A simple idea yet it is the main concept behind vertical farming which has become increasingly popular due to the lack of land space.

Last Wednesday, our batch (Environmental Studies Year 1 Students) went to Sky Greens as part of our learning journey. Sky greens is the ‘world’s first low carbon, hydraulic driven vertical farm’ which promotes farming with green methods (Sky Greens, 2014). The farm consists of rows of tall greenhouses. In each greenhouse, there are about 16 towers as high as 9 metres, each with 38 tiers of rotating growing toughs filled with vegetables.

Row of Greenhouses (Photo taken by Johanah Seow)

Photo Courtesy of Sky Greens (Growing troughs of vegetables)

It is really fascinating how they maximise the use of resources. One example is water. According to Sky Greens, only 12 litres of water is used per kilogram of vegetables. This is because rainwater is collected and used for watering through the water pipes. The excess water that is not absorbed by the vegetables is returned back to the pipes where it can be reused to water the vegetables again for up to 3-5 cycles. Water pressure is also used as hydraulic energy to rotate the toughs, reducing a significant amount of electricity.

Cai Xin harvested at the end of the tour which is purplish compared to the cai xin we usually see

Only 0.5% of Singapore’s land is allocated for agricultural purposes (Commonwealth network, 2013). With such limited land available, vertical farms is indeed an ingenious idea. Such feature not only maximises the use of space, the incorporation of these farms into our urban environment can also make farming more accessible which can make the industry more prominent. It is interesting that farming is no longer limited to land with soil. Sky greens has plans to place these greenhouses in rooftops or even integrate vertical farms into building facades or interior walls. These greenhouses can even be placed afloat on water (just like the Marina Bay Floating Platform), reflecting that the location of the greenhouses can be extended beyond solid ground. It has come to a point where farming can be done everywhere, even within the concrete walls where we work and live.

“It’s sad when you ask children where vegetables come from, and they say NTUC, or when you ask them where chickens come from and they say the fridge.”
Ms Chai Sheau Shi of organic vegetable farm Fire Flies

I feel that the quote above is something that we can all think about. I believe that the inclusion of farms into our urban living can allow us to gain a better understanding of our food sources. Farming may not be an major contributor to our economy but according to a quail farmer William Ho, farms can prove to be helpful in times of emergencies like SARS and bird flu (Ong, 2016). Therefore, I hope that more local farms can be promoted and treasured. In my next post, I will be discussing about the problems associated with vertical farming. Stay tuned!

Cheers!
♣ Johanah

References:
Sky Greens, (2014), About Sky Greens, Retrieved on 1 September 2016 from: http://www.skygreens.com/about-skygreens/

Commonwealth of Nations, (n.d), Find Agriculture Expertise in Singapore, Retrieved on 1 September 2016 from: http://www.commonwealthofnations.org/sectors-singapore/business/agriculture/

Ong, J, (2016 May 28), Unanswered Questions, Uncertain Future for Krani Farmers, Retrieved on 2 September 2016 from: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/unanswered-questions/2823076.html