As we inch towards a world facing acute water and climate crisis, the food produce that is accessible to us is also getting affected adversely. Around 193 million people in 53 countries or territories experienced acute food insecurity, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the Unites Nations. These statistics, tied with recent developments in farming practices, really make us question whether we can tackle this food crisis by practising farming without soil, i.e., hydroponic farming.
What is Hydrponic Farming?
One of the most recent developments in farming is that of growing fruits and vegetables in the absence of soil or sunlight. This is called hydroponic farming and involves mixing seeds in a mixture of water including all the nutrients required for the growth of a plant. If these requirements are met, then the plant can flourish both indoors and outdoors and does not actually require soil to grow.
How can Hydroponic Farming help in a Food Crisis?
One of the biggest problems many parts of the world are facing at the moment is the availability of viable land and soil quality for farming. For instance, sub-Saharan African countries possess land that is dry, sandy, and not suitable for food crops. Similarly, India has a diverse topography and whether patters which implements that the quality of land suitable for traditional farming will only be found in selected places. Hydroponic farming addresses all of these problems as all the crops are grown in vertical towers with no soil needed. This means that there can be a substantial amount of food produced even in geographically small or unfavourbale areas. Hydroponic farming also uses 98% lesser water than traditional farming as the water requirements are very specific to the type of crop being grown and there is very little water runoff or evaporative waste. Therefore, it is an ideal way of farming in countries with unfavourable land and water conditions.
Conclusion
Given all the benefits of hydroponic farming, it is definitely a method that can tackle food shortage in developing and under-developed countries. Compared to all other methods of farming, hydroponic is a more sustainable and reliable option of farming and can alleviate the problem of food insecurity in the coming years.
