Hydroponic Farming: A Green Solution For Urban Living

Hydroponic farming is a method of growing organic food in a nutrient-rich water solution in places with a shortage of land and a high demand for fresh food. In this article, We will discuss how hydroponic farming is beneficial and, at the same time, how it has growth potential in the future.

Historical Footprints of Hydroponic Farming

Throughout ancient times, evidence of hydroponic systems has been found, where crops were grown without soil, for example, the hanging gardens of Babylon and the floating gardens of the Aztecs. After the scientific development from the 16th to the 17th century, it was concluded that plants gain their mass mainly from water.
Furthermore, in modern agricultural irrigation systems, Federick Gericke, also known as the father of hydroponic farming, stated that hydroponic agriculture’s nutrient-rich water solutions promote plant growth and produce high-yield crops.
To understand the importance of hydroponic farming, we can reevaluate World War 2, when the military grew food from hydroponic farming project methods on an island where other farming methods were impossible.

The Top 5 Benefits of Hydroponic Farming

Due to its eco-friendly nature and positive environmental effects, hydroponic agriculture is getting recognized worldwide. We will now discuss the various benefits of hydroponic farming.

Conserving water	The main benefit of hydroponic farming is that it uses less amount of water; this is done by recirculation of a flow of water through pipes with the help of water pumps, whereas in other farming methods, water gets evaporated by sunlight most of the time, leaving less quantity for plants, the hydroponic method is an alternative use for the arid region to grow food.
Less space, high yield	In urban cities where land for agriculture is compromised, people can grow plants using indoor hydroponic farming. Plants can be grown closer to each other to get high yields using intensive agriculture.
Faster growth rate	When grown hydroponically, plants consume more nutrients from water, so they tend to grow 40% faster than plants grown in soil. Hydroponic farming can also be helpful in several harvests throughout the year.
No chemical use	Hydroponic farming is done in an enclosed environment along with R&D automation and robotics setup, which is successful in avoiding soil diseases and pests. Controlling the indoor farm environment behavior is mandatory to ensure healthier food production, which could help prevent chemical use.
Food security	Fulfilling the demand for fresh food in urban areas takes a lot of work. People usually rely on a long supply chain, which is time-consuming and disappointing. Hydroponic farming in metropolitan cities can counter this problem by increasing the local supply chain.

The Top 5 Disadvantages of Hydroponic Farming

High- initial cost	Hydroponic farming requires a setup that includes various items that are not affordable to thrifty farmers. The main components are water pumps and water storage tanks. If the water is not suitable according to plant needs, installing RO filters is a must, which is an additional expense. Pipes, water nutrients, poly sheets to make an enclosed environment, and automated machine systems to control the enclosed environment are also required.
Lack of Technical Knowledge	To successfully grow healthy food without any loss, farmers must possess technical knowledge of hydroponic farming, such as maintaining the pH value of nutrient-based water, temperature-controlling machines, and self-maintenance. Due to its complexity, few farmers do not want to risk their investment in hydroponic farming.
Continuous electricity	Continuous electricity availability is required to maintain the desired temperature inside the farm. This is the principal disadvantage of hydroponic farming because the system runs heavily on electricity, including the pump, fans, and automated devices. The absence of electricity for a short time can lead to crop loss.
Less crop varieties	Hydroponic farming allows a wider variety of crops to grow. Crops such as leafy green herbs, vine crops, and fruiting plants thrive in hydroponic environments, but crops with extensive roots are unsuitable because they occupy more space.
Clean water and its management	Water is the fundamental need for plants in hydroponic farming. To ensure water purity, both physical and chemical tests are necessary. Some hydroponic farmers use RO filters to clean water from contamination that can lead to plant disease.

Hydroponic Farming setup cost

The hydroponic farming cost depends on several factors: the area of land required to lay down the farm structure, the automated temperature-controlling system, water sprinklers, fans, water nutrients, plant matter, and PVC pipes. We will break down the cost per acre to get an estimated cost for the initial setup.

Infrastructure Type

Infrastructure type	Cost
Flat roof net house	approx 20 Lakh
Natural ventilated poly house	approx 40 Lakh
climate-controlled playhouse	approx 60 Lakh

Growing Types

Growing type	Cost
Nutrient Film Technique	It varies between 30 and 50 lakhs, according to the infrastructure layout.
Coco-Peat Technique	Approx 20 Lakh
Dutch Bucket System	Between 50 to 60 Lakh
Deep Water Culture	Approx 50 Lakh

Tempurature-Controlling System

Different types of equipment, including HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning), electrical heaters and chillers, air conditioning units, and thermostats, are used to maintain the desired temperature inside a poly house. The total cost of buying and installing all the equipment in a poly house is around 10 Lakh.

After reviewing the breakdown of the cost, it can be concluded that the hydroponic farming setup cost in India ranges from 80 Lakh to 1 crore 40 Lakh.

Conclusion

Traditional soil farming is failing for several reasons, such as soil erosion, disturbing soil structure, pesticide use, biodiversity loss, high price rate of organic matter, low yield, and land shortage. In such a crisis, hydroponic farming provides a promising future to ensure food security and establish a local food supply chain.