Raising the Stakes: How Vertical Farming is Taking Agriculture to New Heights (Literally!)

Vertical farming has become an increasingly popular and viable option for urban agriculture in recent years, especially as the world faces increasing pressure to produce more food in a sustainable and efficient manner. Vertical farming refers to the practice of growing crops in vertically stacked layers, often in controlled environments with artificial lighting and precise environmental controls. This innovative approach to farming has gained traction in Mexico, where companies like Verde Compacto and Karma Verde Fresh are working to bring this technology to more farms and urban areas.

The startup Verde Compacto was born in 2016, getting an investment of 45 thousand dollars in Guanajuato. The investment was used for research and product development for sales, which officially started in 2019.

The company Verde Compacto offers today an innovative vertical cultivation system called Huvster, which has the capacity to produce up to 200 times more vegetables per square meter. Incredibly, this system can cultivate up to 5,000 square meters of plants in a space of just 30 square meters.  The system is housed in a container, similar to those used in the transportation of goods on ships, which contains 336 towers, that stand 2.1 meters high.  According to the company, these towers provide enough space to grow around 5,760 plants, all in a compact and efficient space.

Likewise, the members of Karma Verde Fresh started with an idea that made them travel the world looking to learn more about vertical farms. KVF is a vertical farming company based in Monterrey, Nuevo León, they produce a variety of leaf vegetables, strawberries, and beans.

They came to realize the best option was to invest in its own technology, so local producers may participate in the development of their own vertical farms, they manufacture their own cultivation systems that can be installed in any urban environment. KVF has increased its crop racks by more than 89% in the same space and its solar LED lights use 21% less energy.

According to a blog post from Tracer MX, urban vertical agriculture in Mexico has the potential to be a game-changer for the country's food security and economic development. With a rapidly growing population and limited arable land, the need for innovative agricultural solutions is more pressing than ever. Vertical farming offers a way to produce more food in a smaller footprint, with fewer resources and less environmental impact. The article also notes that vertical farming can help to address some of the challenges faced by traditional agriculture in Mexico, such as water scarcity and soil erosion.

The article from Goula.lat notes that vertical farming has become a highly lucrative business for farmers and investors alike. With the global population projected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, the demand for food is only going to continue to grow. By investing in vertical farming technology, farmers and investors can tap into this growing market and produce more food in a sustainable and efficient manner.

Vertical farming is a promising solution to many of the challenges faced by traditional agriculture in Mexico and beyond. Companies like Karma Verde Fresh and Verde Compacto are leading the way in developing innovative vertical farming technologies that can help to address issues like water scarcity, soil erosion, and limited arable land. As the world continues to face mounting pressure to produce more food in a sustainable and efficient manner, vertical farming is sure to play a critical role in meeting this demand.

Beyond its potential to increase food production and improve food security, vertical farming is also a promising solution to some of the environmental challenges associated with traditional agriculture. For instance, vertical farming can reduce land use, water use, transport emissions, and energy use. By using hydroponic or aeroponic systems, vertical farms can recycle water and use LED lighting and other energy-efficient technologies to grow crops, which can help to conserve resources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. As a result, vertical farming has the potential to significantly reduce the environmental impact of food production and contribute to more sustainable agriculture, which is critical in the face of climate change and the need for more efficient use of resources.

Additionally, dehumidifiers are used to collect, filter, and reuse excess water emitted by plants, thus conserving water. Furthermore, vertical farms can help address some of the most pressing issues facing traditional agriculture, such as deforestation and biodiversity loss, by allowing lands previously used for farming to recover and return to their natural state. Moreover, by eliminating pests, vertical farming eliminates the need for pesticides, preventing eutrophication and promoting the recovery of ecosystems and biodiversity.

Aguilar, A. (2022) El millonario negocio de los agricultores verticals. Retrieved from https://goula.lat/el-millonario-negocio-de-los-agricultores-verticales/

Boekhout, R. (2021) Introducing Vertical farming to Mexico and beyond. Retrieved from https://www.freshplaza.com/europe/article/9297887/introducing-vertical-farming-to-mexico-and-beyond/

Siddique, B. (2022) How is vertical farming impacting on climate change?. Retrieved from https://aehinnovativehydrogel.com/news/how-is-vertical-farming-impacting-on-climate-change/

Soto, R. (2022) La naciente realidad de la agricultura vertical urbana en México. Retrieved from https://www.tracer.mx/blog-legal/agricultura-vertical-urbana-en-méxico