january-2019

38 / TREND / Vertical farming
TREND / 39
Crop Up
“The hydroponic system
supports the growing of
all leafy vegetables”
To address food shortages, experts say that
agriculture needs to move onwards and upwards.
New methods that require less space and no soil,
such as VERTICAL FARMING, are gathering
momentum in Africa.
text Annette Lavrijssen
In November 2017, biochemistry graduate Samson
Ogbole (35) dazzled the audience when he took to the TEDx
stage in Lagos, Nigeria. He demonstrated cutting-edge farming
methods that could ensure the future of food worldwide.
“To me, agriculture is more than just food production; it’s
the foundation for sustainable development, job creation and
healthier living,” he says. “I believe farmers must be smart about
the climate, adopt a business mindset and embrace technology,
automation and data.”
HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM
According to a 2017 report by the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the UN, farming has become increasingly
difficult due to climate change, unpredictable weather, desertification,
changing precipitation patterns and high crop instability.
Although this is a global problem, the need for farmers
in Africa to employ new farming methods is more immediate;
natural resources and soil are being exhausted because farmers
have insufficient time and space for an adequate fallow period.
Furthermore, overcutting and overgrazing have become the
norm, resulting in fertiliser misuse and improper crop rotation.
The issue is compounded by the growing global population,
which is expected to reach 9.73 billion by 2050. More
than half of this boom will happen in Africa, where Nigeria
will see the biggest increase (to about 450 million). Given that
the average age of the Nigerian farmer is 60, and young people
are unwilling to pick up agriculture because conventional
farming has become more difficult, the need for new farming
methods is even more apparent. >
The perks of soilless
farming
• It’s a one-time set-up with a fast
return on investment.
• Maintenance is cheap compared
to soil-based farming.
• It’s more sustainable, as the use
of tractors, fertilisers, herbicides
and insecticides are drastically
diminished or eliminated.
• Production costs are stable
throughout the seasons.
• Vertical farming methods need
less space to grow more crops.
• Growth time is reduced and the
plants produce a higher yield.
• Studies show that plants
grown without soil have higher
levels of phytochemicals and
antioxidants, compared to crops
grown in soil.
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