Food Demand Research Articles

What Determines the Adoption of Conservation Agriculture? Evidence from Quebec.

Conservation agriculture (CA) is promoted by various organisations and scholars as alternative to conventional agriculture to meet growing food demand with minimal damage on environment; but its factors of adoption have not been well identified. The study uses the recent composite index of adoption of CA developed by Takam Fongang et al. (2023) to analyse the factors of adoption of conservation agriculture among maize and soybean farmers in Quebec. Using data from 93 maize and soybean producers and a Fractional logit model, the study shows that adoption of CA increases with farmer's favourable perceptions of yield and easiness of implementing CA, off-farm employment and higher education. The study therefore indicates that higher education, technical assistance and popularisation of performance of CA can play a significant role in boosting adoption of CA in Quebec.

Plant Factory Speed Breeding Significantly Shortens Rice Generation Time and Enhances Metabolic Diversity

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) plays a pivotal role in global food security, yet its breeding is constrained by its long generation time and seasonality. To enhance rice breeding efficiency and meet future food demands, we have developed a vertical hydroponic breeding system integrated with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) lighting in a closed plant factory (PF), which significantly accelerates rice growth and generation advancement. The results show that indica rice can be harvested as early as after 63 days of cultivation, a 50% reduction compared with field cultivation, enabling the annual harvesting of 5–6 generations within the PF. A hyperspectral imaging system (HSI) and attenuated total reflectance infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy were further employed to characterize the chemical composition of the PF- and field-cultivated rice. Metabolomics analysis with ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) revealed that, compared with the field-cultivated rice, the PF-cultivated rice exhibited an up-regulation of total phenolic acids along with 68 non-volatile and 19 volatile metabolites, such as isovitexin, succinic acid, and methylillicinone F. Overall, this study reveals the unique metabolic profile of PF-cultivated rice and highlights the potential of PFs to accelerate the breeding of crops such as rice, offering an innovative agricultural strategy to support food security in the face of global population growth and climate change.

Bio-Based Phase Change Materials for Sustainable Development.

The increasing global population has intensified the demand for energy and food, leading to significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from both sectors. To mitigate these impacts and achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), passive thermal storage methods, particularly using phase change materials (PCMs), have become crucial for enhancing energy efficiency and reducing GHG emissions across various industries. This paper discusses the state of the art of bio-based phase change materials (bio-PCMs), derived from animal fats and plant oils as sustainable alternatives to traditional paraffin-based PCMs, while addressing the challenges of developing bio-PCMs with suitable phase change properties for practical applications. A comprehensive process is proposed to convert bacon fats to bio-PCMs, which offer advantages such as non-toxicity, availability, cost-effectiveness, and stability, aligning with multiple SDGs. The synthesis process involves hydrolysis to break down fat molecules obtained from the extracted lipid, followed by three additional independent processes to further tune the phase change properties of PCMs. The esterification significantly decreases the phase transition temperatures while slightly improving latent heat; the UV-crosslinking moderately raises both the phase transition temperature and latent heat; the crystallization remarkably increases the both. The future research and guidelines are discussed to develop the large scale manufacturing with cost effectiveness, to optimize synthesis process by multiscale modeling, and to improve thermal conductivity and latent heat capacities at the same time.

Gravimetric and SIM-Headspace GC-MS for Residual Organic Solvents Detection in Halal and Wholesomeness Food Analysis

The demand for halal foods and beverages is increasing globally. While most halal analysis focuses on porcine, this study focuses on assessing residual organic solvents to ensure their halal compliance and wholesomeness, following several Malaysian standards and guidelines. A significant challenge in this study was the volatility of the residual solvents during the preparation of standards and quality control. To address this issue, a gravimetric technique was employed and effectively minimized the difference between theoretical (1,000 ppm) and actual (710 – 892 ppm) concentrations of the residual organic standard stock solution, except for acetone (588 ppm). The aim of this study was to establish a validated, reliable, and accurate method using SIM-headspace GC-MS to identify and quantify residual organic solvents for halal and wholesomeness analysis. Confirmation of each residual organic solvent was achieved by comparing the obtained spectra with the NIST 11 spectral database, containing 70,832 compounds, with similarity ranging from 80.9% to 96.6%, except for acetonitrile at 52.2%. The validation parameters were carried out according to ISO 17025:2017, the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, and the European Guidelines. The parameters included recovery ranging from 95.65% to 95.68%, precision from 10.08% to 19.65% RSD, linearity between 0.996 to 0.999, limit of detection from 0.01 to 0.08 ppm, and limit of quantification from 0.02 to 0.24 ppm. Uncertainty considerations were limited to recovery, precision, and linearity, as other uncertainties were negligible based on the bottom-up approach using in-house validation data. This combination of gravimetric and SIM-headspace GC-MS techniques has provided valuable insights for discussions and collaborations among halal authorities worldwide to establish a consensus analytical methodology for halal and wholesomeness assessment.

Sustainable Approaches used in Pesticides contaminated Agricultural Waste Water Remediation

With the growing population of our global community and thereby increasing the demand for food has led the farmers to use more and more pesticides. Pesticides are chemical compounds used to kill pests. It is commonly used to control various agricultural pests that destroy crops and ultimately affect our agricultural productivity. Although the use of pesticides is a beneficial approach, but unfortunately it also has some drawbacks in terms of harming the environment and human health. Some pesticides pose significant hazards that ultimately affect human health systems. Contamination of agricultural land and agricultural wastewater by pesticides is a serious environmental problem and has a negative impact on biodiversity. Most synthetic pesticides are not readily biodegradable, they accumulate in the environment and cause soil contamination. To overcome the environmental burden of pesticide-contaminated sites, various sustainable approaches can be effectively used to detoxify contaminants or transform them into harmless secondary compounds. The current review focuses on the role of microorganisms and lignocellulosic biomass and plants in the degradation of agricultural pesticides under sustainable approaches.

Changes in root nodules dynamics under mixed cropping with varying nutrient management of berseem crop and succeeding fodder cowpea

Intercropping is a sustainable way to achieve the growing demands for food and fodder of expanding population of tropical areas. Combined application of nutrient sources along with inclusion of fodder crops in cropping system will influence soil as well as plant characteristics above ground as well as below it. These sustainable approaches may increase nutrient use efficiency by rhizosphere management at soil and plant level giving better understanding of soil plant atmosphere continuum (SPAC). The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of nutrient management and seed ratios on dynamics of root nodules of berseem as well as succeeding crop cowpea at Agronomy Research farm, National Dairy Research Institute, Haryana, India. Intensive root studies had been done regarding root parameters in berseem as well as residual succeeding crop cowpea in this research. The study revealed that 100%RDF(Recommended dose of Fertilizer)+PGPR (Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria) had given maximum number of nodules (118.60) and other traits for three cuttings in terms of nutrient management and sole berseem in terms of seed ratios number of nodules (112.92), whereas 50%RDF (Recommended dose of Fertilizer) +50% FYM (Farm Yard Manure)-(62.5) and sole berseem (54.30) at harvest had shown better results in terms of residual activity on roots nodules of succeeding crop cowpea where number of nodules (62.5) and fresh wt. of root nodules (622.1 mg) at harvest in 50%RDF + 50% FYM. This research revealed that employing organic sources of nutrients like FYM (Farm Yard Manure) and biofertilizers like PGPR (Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria) along with inorganics in correct proportions enhances the root traits of leguminous fodder crops and reduce sole dependency on harmful agricultural inputs. Hence, this would fulfill the long-term nutritional requirement of crop and preserve crop status in terms of quality and quantity.

Leveraging Cloud and Distributed Computing for Enhanced Precision Agriculture: A Yield Mapping Perspective

Abstract: This article explores the transformative impact of cloud and distributed computing technologies on precision agriculture, with a specific focus on enhancing yield mapping capabilities. Yield mapping, a critical component of modern farming, faces challenges such as data accuracy issues, data loss, edge effects, and temporal variability. The integration of cloud-based solutions and distributed computing addresses these challenges by facilitating the storage, processing, and analysis of large-scale agricultural datasets. Real-time processing and advanced analytics, powered by machine learning algorithms, enable farmers to gain deeper insights into spatial and temporal variations in crop performance. The article discusses the development of user-friendly interfaces and reporting tools that aid in yield map interpretation, as well as the integration of yield data with farm management systems for optimized decision-making. Furthermore, it examines the impact of these technologies on promoting sustainable farming practices, improving crop profitability, and reducing environmental footprints. The article also delves into future directions, including emerging technologies and potential obstacles to widespread adoption. By leveraging cloud and distributed computing, yield mapping evolves from a mere data collection tool to a sophisticated decision support system, paving the way for more efficient, profitable, and sustainable agricultural practices in the face of growing global food demand and environmental challenges.

Spectral Intelligence: AI-Driven Hyperspectral Imaging for Agricultural and Ecosystem Applications

Ensuring global food security amid mounting challenges, such as population growth, disease infestations, resource limitations, and climate change, is a pressing concern. Anticipated increases in food demand add further complexity to this critical issue. Plant pathogens, responsible for substantial crop losses (up to 41%) in major crops like wheat, rice, maize, soybean, and potato, exacerbate the situation. Timely disease detection is crucial, yet current practices often identify diseases at advanced stages, leading to severe infestations. To address this, remote sensing and Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) have emerged as robust and nondestructive techniques, exhibiting promising results in early disease identification. Integrating machine learning algorithms with image data sets enables precise spatial–temporal disease identification, facilitating timely detection, predictive modeling, and effective disease management without compromising fitness or climate adaptability. By harnessing these cutting-edge technologies and data-driven decision-making, growers can optimize input costs while achieving enhanced yields, making significant strides toward global food security in the face of climate change risks. This review will discuss some of the foundational concepts of remote sensing, several platforms used for remote sensing data collection, successful application of the approach, and its future perspective.

Remote Sensing, Artificial Intelligence and Smart Agriculture Technology Trends of the Future

The efficient and sustainable operation of the agricultural sector has become increasingly important in light of the transformations brought about by the third and fourth industrial revolutions. Population growth, increasing food demand, rising input costs, and environmental pressures necessitate innovative approaches not only to ensure food security but also to mitigate the effects of climate change. The European Union (EU) emphasizes the role of digital technologies in supporting agricultural productivity and resilience by promoting a bio-based economy. Strategies such as Farm to Fork (F2F) initiative aim to reduce pesticide and nutrient inputs, thus preserving biodiversity and supporting ecosystem health. Artificial intelligence (AI) and predictive analytics, along with connected sensors, offer opportunities to optimize water and nutrient usage and increase crop yields. By utilizing AI, combining remote sensing technologies, and monitoring changes in land use, it is possible to reduce environmental risks associated with agricultural practices. Although there are challenges such as high investment costs and data control for the integration of digital technologies, ongoing research and development efforts promise to overcome these obstacles. In conclusion, the integration of digital technologies into agriculture presents unique opportunities to address urgent issues and achieve sustainability goals. This review discusses the applicability of fundamental technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Precision Agriculture (PA), and Machine Learning (ML) in making agriculture more efficient and sustainable, by enabling the perception, monitoring, collection, analysis, and extraction of meaningful insights from agricultural data.

Enhancing The Quality Of Agricultural Technology Education In A Developing Economy

The development and transformation of Nigerian agriculture vis-a-vis the development of Nigerian economy has been the utmost concern of government. researchers and many individuals. Most developed and developing countries of the world have long realized that the only way to meet adequate diet and food demand of their people is by acquiring functional literacy, knowledge and skill for productive activity. Education policies in Nigeria have often focused on raising aggregate enrolment figures, training more teachers and building more schools, paying attention to the lopsidedness in the geographical distribution of educational facilities across the nation for the sake of social justice and equity. However, until recently, conspicuously absent n most planning efforts in Nigeria s the concern for the quality and relevance of our educational training towards National development. It is against this background that attempts is made by this paper to raise some basic issues relating to Agricultural Technology Education, this is with a view of establishing a basis for understanding the problem and indicate possible directions for policy making. Keywords: Quality, Agricultural Technology, Education, Developing Economy, Schools, Building

Combining insitu rainwater harvesting and integrated nutrient management of organic manure improves soil moisture, fertility and crop yields in marginalized areas: A review

Soil moisture stress and infertility are major biophysical constraints which limit crop production and food security in marginalized areas. Marginal areas are mainly associated with low rainfall which is insufficient to support crops until maturity is reached. The use of insitu rainwater harvesting methods such as planting pits, tied ridges, mulching, Zai pits and half-moon can be a solution to reduce moisture stress. This alone cannot improve crop yields hence the need to use integrated nutrient management (INM) of animal manure, biofertilisers, mineral fertiliser and composts to improve soil fertility, structure and increase water retention ability. Combining rainwater harvesting with INM has the potential to mitigate effects of climate change, improve crop yields and meet food demand in marginal areas. Various nutrient sources used as INM can restore soil health, increase microbial population, nutrient mineralisation and improve soil quality. Use of biofertilisers in agriculture reduces soil toxicity, improve nutrient availability and create a conducive environment for crop growth and development. Integration of tied ridges with cattle manure and mineral fertiliser has the potential of increasing infiltration rates, reducing surface runoff and increase crop yields with 50-150% regardless of soil type. This chapter sought to come up review the effects of rainwater harvesting methods and INM on soil fertility, moisture stress and crop yields in marginalized areas.

Smart City Aquaculture: AI-Driven Fry Sorting and Identification Model

The development of smart agriculture has become a critical issue for the future of smart cities, with large-scale management of aquaculture posing numerous challenges. Particularly in the fish farming industry, producing single-sex fingerlings (especially male fingerlings) is crucial for enhancing rearing efficiency and could even provide key support in addressing future global food demands. However, traditional methods of manually selecting the gender of broodfish rely heavily on experienced technicians, are labor-intensive and time-consuming, and present significant bottlenecks in improving production efficiency, thus limiting the capacity and sustainable development potential of fish farms. In response to this situation, this study has developed an intelligent identification system based on the You Only Look Once (YOLO) artificial intelligence (AI) model, specifically designed for analyzing secondary sexual characteristics and gender screening in farmed fish. Through this system, farmers can quickly photograph the fish’s cloaca using a mobile phone, and AI technology is then used to perform real-time gender identification. The study involved two phases of training with different sample sets: in the first phase, the AI model was trained on a single batch of images with varying parameter conditions. In the second phase, additional sample data were introduced to improve generalization. The results of the study show that the system achieved an identification accuracy of over 95% even in complex farming environments, significantly reducing the labor costs and physical strain associated with traditional screening operations and greatly improving the production efficiency of breeding facilities. This research not only has the potential to overcome existing technological bottlenecks but also may become an essential tool for smart aquaculture. As the system continues to be refined, it is expected to be applicable across the entire life cycle management of fish, including gender screening during the growth phase, thereby enabling a more efficient production and management model. This not only provides an opportunity for technological upgrades in the aquaculture industry but also promotes the sustainable development of aquaculture. The smart aquaculture solution proposed in this study demonstrates the immense potential of applying AI technology to the aquaculture industry and offers strong support for global food security and the construction of smart cities.

Impacts of Humic Acid on Growth and Yield of Wheat: A Review

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a crucial crop, providing 20% of caloric intake for many populations worldwide. Soil organic matter, an essential component of soil, directly influences soil fertility and texture. Humic substances, derived from biomolecules' physical, chemical, and microbiological transformation, are integral to soil humus. Humic acid has become a standard method for enhancing crop growth, yield, and soil fertility. While the effects of humic acid on wheat have been extensively studied, the optimal type and application method for wheat cultivation remain undetermined. This review investigates sustainable wheat production methods using humic acid to mitigate the negative impacts of chemical fertilizers and climate change factors. Research indicates that humic acid significantly increases wheat plant growth parameters: shoot length (18%), root length (29%), shoot dry weight (76%), root dry weight (100%), and chlorophyll content (96%). Moreover, humic acid substantially improves wheat yield and yield components, including spike length (14.66%), number of spikes per square meter (28.73%), number of spikelets per spike (23.52%), and 1000-grain weight (23.90%). As a sustainable organic substance, humic acid application offers a promising approach to improving wheat production. This method could help meet the food demands of the growing global population, particularly in countries like Afghanistan, where food security is a pressing concern.

The Painful Double-Knock on Food Prices: 2008 Financial Crises and COVID-19 Pandemic

Food supply and demand chains are susceptible to global shocks. Unstable and sudden food price hikes cause serious malnutrition problems and increase the number of food-insecure people, especially in developing countries. Using the FAO Food Price Index (FFPI), this study makes one of the first attempts to utilize monthly observations of the FFPI in dynamic time series ARDL and ARX settings to identify the effects of food prices on COVID-19 infection rates and the 2008 global financial crisis. Our empirical findings confirm that the financial crisis significantly increased the FFPI, although its effects decreased as markets equilibrated between 2007 and 2009. The pandemic has had a mild impact on food prices in the short run compared to the 2008 crisis, but in the long run, the COVID-19 outbreak has a larger impact, with 1 million new COVID-19 infections associated with an increase of between 0.0464 and 0.0509 points in the FFPI. Food price volatility and hikes, even if short-term, increase poverty, malnutrition, and food insecurity, foster social unrest, and lower people’s living standards. This research implies that food prices are globally sensitive to both pandemics and financial crises, and the severity of the pandemic can drive global food prices higher, depending on the number of infections. Over the long run, the impact of the outbreak surpasses that of the financial crisis. The latter tends to have a major impact on food prices in the short run but subsequently declines as markets begin to equilibrate, reflecting asymmetries between the two phenomena in their effects on food prices. Overall, the results indicate that the financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic had a short-run, immediate, augmenting impact on food prices. However, while the 2008 crisis affected the supply side only, COVID-19 had impacts on both the demand and supply sides.

How do water, food, and energy resources impact environmental conditions in Ghana? A novel dynamic ARDL simulation approach

Rising water, food, and energy demands pose significant resource risks and environmental threats. Despite the critical nature of this issue, there is a notable absence of empirical research linking the consumption of these resources to environmental degradation in Ghana. To fill this gap, this study investigates the short-term and long-term effects of water, food, and energy resource consumption on environmental degradation in Ghana, analyzing data from 1994 to 2020. Ghana's increasing environmental degradation accentuates the urgency of this research, its vulnerability to climate change, and the imperative to sustain human life and protect the environment. Utilizing the novel dynamic ARDL simulation method, this research offers new perspectives that diverge from previous findings. The study's findings demonstrate that water resource consumption positively impacts environmental degradation in the short and long term. However, food and energy resource consumption mitigates environmental degradation in the short and long term. Therefore, the study advocates adopting resource management strategies emphasizing efficiency and sustainability. It calls for policies that improve water efficiency, boost renewable energy uptake, and encourage sustainable farming practices. These measures are intended to lessen the negative impacts of resource exploitation and aid in environmental preservation efforts.

Strategic pathways for a bioeconomy with high value-added products: Lessons learnt from the Latvian forest sector

Climate change, the increasing global demand for food and feed and the loss of biodiversity, requires a shift towards a sustainable, innovative and knowledge-based bioeconomy. Simultaneously, the implementation of a strategic approach to the utilization of the sector and associated bioresources that aligns with the principles of sustainability represents a significant challenge. The aim of this study is therefore to develop a methodology for policy and decision makers to facilitate a knowledge-based bioeconomy policy planning framework. To map the development opportunities of the bioeconomy, a detailed analysis was conducted on the Latvian forest sector. This entailed an examination of the system's components within the sector, which involved the collection and analysis of statistical data, reports, and official information from forest sector stakeholders, with the objective of obtaining a comprehensive overview of Latvia's forest sector. Following the identification of the current enablers and constraints of the sector, a selection of niche products with high value-added for sector development was made. During group model building experts: (1) developed a SWOT matrix for the Latvian forest sector; (2) selected three wood-based high value-added products – textile from trees; particle board; natural thermal packaging; (3) elaborated SWOT/TOWS analysis to facilitate strategy development for the niche products. The developed methodology incorporates a synthesis of established scientific methods, including SWOT, TOWS, and AHP, with a bioeconomy system component analysis approach. The methodology therefore not only systematises the process of forest sector analysis, but also applies the findings to the development of sector development pathways aimed at shifting from low value-added to high value-added production. The innovation of the methodology lies not only in the combination of methods used, but also in the insights gained, which allow for a narrower product development perspective to be taken in order to understand the enablers and constraints of the sector and vice versa.

Drought response of tuber genes in processing potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) in Japan.

Limited crop production due to lower rainfall has a major impact on the supply and demand of food for the human population. In potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), one of the major crops, there is also concern about a lack of production due to drought stress. Especially the cultivar "Toyoshiro" suitable for processing, has significant reduction in drought yield. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the mechanism of gene expression changes that occur in potato "Toyoshiro" plants and tubers during drought. Seed potatoes were split in half and one was used as a control plant (CT), and the other was used as a drought-stressed plant (DS). CT was watered daily, and DS watered off to mimic the weather conditions of the Tokachi-Obihiro region in 2021. These tubers were harvested at week 14 and the transcriptome was analyzed. DS plants showed 423 downregulated genes and 197 upregulated genes compared to CT. Factors related to cell wall modification, heat stress response, and phytosterol metabolism were detected among the genes whose expression changed. Moreover, the expression of "Abscisic acid and environmental stress-inducible protein TAS14 like (TAS14)," a molecule reported to be upregulated under drought stress, was also upregulated, and was upregulated expression in all strains that reproduced drought. The localization of this molecule in the nucleus and plasma membrane was confirmed in a mCherry-tagged TAS14 mutant line. Our findings contribute to understanding the survival strategy system of Japanese processing potatoes in response to drought stress.

The Seeds of the Mexican Countryside

Objective: The objective of this work is to make an analysis of the types of seeds use by Mexican farmers and their relationship with Local Seed Systems (SLS) and Formal Seed Systems (SFS). Design/methodology/approach: The work consisted of a bibliographic review about the types of seeds available for the Mexican countryside and their seed systems. In addition, to identify some priorities and strategies for its strengthening. Results: In Mexico, derived from its climatic, edaphic, geophysical heterogeneity, cultural social and economic diversity. It has caused both landraces and improved seed to coexist in the SLS and SFS. However, there is a predominance in the use of landraces in SLS of 70 to 80 %. Therefore, it is considered a priority to conserve traditional selection, management, conservation and use practices that have caused the wide inter- and intraspecific diversity of landraces. However, more research needs to be carried out and its legal framework strengthened. In the case of improved seeds located mainly in SFS, it is considered to promote their use in vegetables and the ornamental sector. Limitations on study/implications: The work developed could be complemented with the participation and interviews of decision makers in seed policies in Mexico and the review of processed in other countries. Findings/conclusions: In Mexico the use of native and improved seeds coexists. To satisfy the demand for food, all types of seeds are important and both the SLS and the SFS but differentiated public policies are required for their attention and the definition of a specific legal framework for landraces.

Growth, Photosynthesis and Yield Responses of Common Wheat to Foliar Application of Methylobacterium symbioticum under Decreasing Chemical Nitrogen Fertilization

Current agriculture intensifies crop cultivation to meet food demand, leading to unsustainable use of chemical fertilizers. This study investigates a few physiological and agronomic responses of common wheat following the inoculation with plant growth-promoting bacteria to reduce nitrogen inputs. A field trial was conducted in 2022–2023, in Legnago (Verona, Italy) on Triticum aestivum var. LG-Auriga comparing full (180 kg ha−1) and reduced (130 kg ha−1) N doses, both with and without foliar application at end tillering of the N-fixing bacterium Methylobacterium symbioticum. Biofertilization did not improve shoot growth, while it seldom increased the root length density in the arable layer. It delayed leaf senescence, prolonged photosynthetic activity, and amplified stomatal conductance and PSII efficiency under the reduced N dose. Appreciable ACC-deaminase activity of such bacterium disclosed augmented nitrogen retrieval and reduced ethylene production, explaining the ameliorated stay-green. Yield and test weight were unaffected by biofertilization, while both glutenin-to-gliadin and HMW-to-LMW ratios increased together with dough tenacity. It is concluded that Methylobacterium symbioticum can amplify nitrogen metabolism at a reduced nitrogen dose, offering a viable approach to reduce chemical fertilization under suboptimal growing conditions for achieving a more sustainable agriculture. Further research over multiple growing seasons and soil types is necessary to corroborate these preliminary observations.

Vertical Farming: A Promising Solution to Urban Agriculture

Urban agriculture refers to the agricultural activities such as plant production for home consumption and income generation in the urban areas especially cities. The concept of urban agriculture has been popularizing but in today’s century it is also facing certain problems such as limited land resources, population increase etc. Vertical farming is a type of urban agriculture, through which we could seek solutions to the problems that urban agriculture has been facing in the recent times. Vertical farming refers to the growing of crops in vertically stacked structures especially under controlled environmental conditions and using a suitable growing medium to increase the crop production per square metre by utilizing the vertical space for cultivation [1]. A wide range of crops can be cultivated in vertical farming with the use of techniques such as hydroponics, aeroponics, aquaponics, artificial lighting, inside the controlled environment of a greenhouse. Vertical farming is needed to provide solution to the problems of urban agriculture in terms of providing food security to the growing population, efficient land utilization, water conservation, increased crop production etc. However, vertical farming has certain disadvantages as well such as high initial investment cost, high energy cost and high maintenance cost. Therefore, further research and development strategies are necessary to overcome such disadvantages for increasing its effectiveness to meet the food demands of the growing population as well as the future generation in a sustainable manner.