ISLAMABAD: Pakistan can massively boost its agricultural productivity by reducing crop losses through proper mechanism and modern technology.
Vertical farming has emerged as a sure-fire way to boost agricultural output.
Talking to WealthPK, Dr Adnan Aslam, Scientific Officer at National Agriculture Research Centre (NARC), said avoiding crop loss is one of the most challenging aspects of farming. He pointed out that extreme weather, pest swarms, pollution and soil degradation concerns are difficult to tackle with conventional farming practices.
“Plenty of variables work against farmers, and the majority of such factors are beyond their control when plants are grown in open environment,” he said.
Soil is the main growing medium in conventional field farming. Over time, soil is reinforced with manual inputs such as organic or inorganic chemical fertilisers to ensure that it contains adequate nutrients to support healthy crops. Soil is also the reason that farming is not evenly distributed across the country.
“As vertical farms do not require soil, they are not limited to a single site. Plants can instead grow in an aeroponically controlled environment instead of traditional soil, where water is continuously recycled. It contributes towards eco-friendly practices by using less water than field farming, and using no pesticides,” Adnan said.
The official said the main advantage of vertical farming is that it does not require sunlight.
“Traditional farms’ growing cycles are controlled by seasonal changes in temperature and sunlight, while indoor vertical farms use energy-efficient LED lights,” he explained.
“Vertical farming uses very little water, and improves food security. Pakistan uses almost 90% of its water for agriculture.
The traditional method of agriculture requires a lot of water for irrigation, which also causes massive wastage,” he said. “In aeroponics, we can give crops the exact amount of purified, nutrient-rich water they need to thrive in a controlled indoor setting,” said the official, adding, “In vertical farming, we grow pesticide-free crops as against traditional agriculture, where pesticides can affect the ecosystem, and degrade soil.”
Adnan mentioned that Pakistani farmers avoid sowing certain crops owing to weather-related concerns, which creates food shortage and enhances the import bill.
“Vertical farming may allow us to grow such crops throughout the year, so Pakistani markets won’t face the pressure of shortage. Application of this farming method on a larger scale would enable Pakistan to increase food exports and boost foreign reserves,” he added.
–INP
