Vertical farming is an innovative agricultural practice that involves growing crops in vertically stacked layers or vertically inclined surfaces. This method is gaining popularity due to several advantages it offers, especially in addressing challenges associated with traditional farming. Vertical farming maximizes the use of available space by growing crops in stacked layers or vertical towers. This is particularly valuable in urban areas where land is limited, allowing agriculture to occur in non-traditional spaces such as warehouses, shipping containers, or high-rise buildings. Moreover, vertical farms often use controlled environment agriculture (CEA) systems, including indoor hydroponics or aeroponics. These controlled environments provide optimal conditions for plant growth, allowing for year-round production regardless of external weather conditions. This enables consistent and reliable harvests. In addition, vertical farming systems, such as hydroponics and aeroponics, use significantly less water compared to traditional soil-based agriculture. The closed-loop systems recirculate water, reducing overall water consumption and minimizing the environmental impact associated with irrigation. Vertical farming can minimize the need for large expanses of land, which helps preserve natural ecosystems. Additionally, the controlled environment allows for precise control over inputs such as water, nutrients, and light, reducing the use of pesticides and fertilizers.

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The increasing digitalization in agriculture have paved way for introduction of smart farming technologies, including IoT devices, sensors, and data analytics. These technologies are being used to monitor and manage crops, livestock, and equipment. This helps farmers make more informed decisions, optimize resource use, and improve productivity. Moreover, automated farming is effectively tackling pressing problems such as increasing food demand and labor shortages, while also enhancing animal productivity and welfare. Startups are developing various solutions, including automated dairy setups, computerized feeding systems, cleaning mechanisms, and incubators. Additionally, farmers are utilizing computerized ventilation and lighting controls to regulate barn conditions. The implementation of robotics in animal farming, such as milking and pusher robots, accelerates agricultural tasks and reduces the need for frequent manual interventions, thus improving livestock management.

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Water is a critical input for agricultural production and plays an important role in food security. Population growth coupled with the devastating impacts of global warming has led to the necessity to monitor and efficiently manage water usage in the agriculture and animal feed industry. While the focus is naturally on maintaining the agricultural industry in the present day, this is equally about preparing for the future, where the global population is expected to spike. The rise in demand for water has led to the exploration of different approaches to manage water in agriculture. For instance, it has been established that 60% of global food production stems from “green water” agriculture. Therefore, there has been a shift in focus to rainfall harvesting and wastewater reuse.

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