Vertical farming can make farming easier and more efficient, but it’s not without its challenges.
Pros: Faster crop cycles mean more harvests each year. Crops can be grown closer to where they’ll be consumed, thus minimizing transport costs. Vertical farming requires less land, limiting the impact on animal habitats and preserving natural resources. It also avoids problems associated with soil-borne diseases, weather events, and pesticides.
Cons: Upfront costs of setting up vertical farms are high. Maintenance is important, too, as any malfunction that breaks the environmental balance will cause crops to fail. Vertical farms require careful management of nutrients and temperature; otherwise, pests or diseases could still cause harm. Artificial lighting is needed in order to adjust daylight cycles and cultivate rare plants. Last but not least, water consumption needs more monitoring than traditional farming methods due to potential leakage or overflow in close quarters.