Will indoor vertical farming replace traditional farming altogether?

What would you eat if there was no agriculture? Previously, people spent most of their lives hunting wild animals and harvesting wild plants before inventing agriculture. People eventually discovered how to raise grain and root crops around 11,500 years ago and settled into agriculture. Agriculture is a sector that cannot be replaced because agriculture is life support. Therefore, agriculture is essential. Today, there are many agriculture systems; traditional farming and vertical farming. In the meantime, people assume vertical farming will replace traditional farming due to technological development. Both have advantages, so let's see them and conclude whether vertical farming will replace traditional farming or not. 

Vertical farming

Vertical farming is an indoor agriculture system that grows crops in a controlled environment in vertically stacked layers. It is a great way to reduce the amount of land needed for agriculture, and it has a lot of other benefits, especially in the city area with limited open land. Vertical farming is becoming an increasingly popular way to produce crops. One of them is hydroponic. The crops are grown bathed in a nutrient-rich water solution. It is also weed-free because weeds will not succeed in water plant media. Vertical farming allows you to grow crops more quickly and with less water than traditional farming. As such, you can utilize your apartment terrace or house and create a friendly ecosystem. Since it uses less water and fertilizer, you can produce a healthier crop. Another thing that you will like about vertical farming is you can control the climate and the light exposure. 

On the other hand, you can not plant a big fruit or vegetables. Still, you can harvest your vegetables and fruits with the vertical farming method:

• Lettuce. Lettuce is a vegetable that grows well in water. Seedlings planted with a hydroponic system will usually grow for two weeks.

• Mint leaves. Mint leaves do not require extra care. You can grow it on the balcony with the hydroponic method. The roots of mint leaves can spread quickly in water.

• Spinach. Spinach grows well in a water-based environment. Spinach is a cold plant, so it does not need much light.

Traditional farming

It is impossible for conventional farming to be replaced by vertical farming. Traditional farming is a type of agriculture that relies on practices that have been used for hundreds of years. Traditional farming is efficient for large plantations and can produce farming production. The use of fertilizer in conventional farming is essential to solving pests. Yet, with technology development, you can reduce excessive pesticides and use them as a proper dosage. The combination of traditional farming and technology delivers precision farming. It assists medium and enormous farmers (agribusiness) in monitoring plantations efficiently with cost-saving and time. Some conventional farming that is still popular today are:

• Agroforestry 

Agroforestry is the deliberate integration of forest covers, such as trees and shrubs, with crops and cattle on a sustainable land unit, either simultaneously or sequentially. This combination aims to diversify production systems through positive interactions between parts of the system, resulting in environmental, economic, and social benefits. 

• Crop rotation

Crop rotation is a method of producing multiple crops on the same field. Crop rotation is good for the soil as well as the plant. It generally improves crop yield conditions, resulting in higher yields and saving the ecosystem.

Vertical farming and conventional farming have different goals, actors, and markets. Everyone can do vertical farming, even those who do not have farming skills. Vertical farming can also be categorized as a hobby. Vertical farming is the solution for those who live in urban areas and want to empower vacant land and create green land. Meanwhile, conventional farming requires extensive experience and land. Usually, traditional farming is carried out by small to medium farmers in rural areas, even large companies. Indeed, traditional farming is part of the business called agribusiness. So what do you think of it? Will indoor vertical farming replace traditional farming altogether?