The major problem with conventional farming is sustainability and feasibility. We cannot scale the current farming methods to meet the population requirements of the future generation even if we make it economically feasible even with the help of renewable energy farming machinery and transportations. Vertical farms instead of farming over a large plane horizontally as their name suggests employ planes vertically over one another such that crops can be grown without soil and just nutrient-rich water flowing through the water system. This study will compare both the farming methods to highlight the key challenges and advantages of vertical farming over conventional farming, focusing on land use and sustainability.
Population and the demand for various products that come with its increase have led to the depletion of natural resources at a rate at which if we continue to move forward our environment is going to sustain permanent damage.
We will focus on two types of resources in this, the first being Land for irrigation and the second water used for that irrigation. Depletion in rich soil due to erosion caused by climatic changes costs a huge amount of money and time. Estimates of soil erosion costs are therefore widely variable and controversial. On the extremely high side, Pimentel et al (Science Magazine, 1995) stated that the total on- and off-site costs of damages by wind and water erosion and the cost of erosion prevention each year is 44,399,000,000 US$ ($44.4 Billion) in the USA alone. Around 70 percent of freshwater withdrawals go into agriculture. The uses within the sector are very diverse and include mainly irrigation, pesticide and fertilizer application, and sustaining livestock.
Further along the value chain, water is used for food preservation (crop cooling, for example) and processing. Water use in agriculture not only consumes resources quantitatively but also pollutes the valuable resource with pesticides and fertilizers.
LAND USE IN IRRIGATION
There are two main uses of agricultural land: arable farming (which is the land dedicated to growing crops), and pastureland (which includes meadows and pastures used for livestock rearing).
For the purpose of this project, we will focus on the land used for irrigation to make this study a bit more specific. Land used for irrigation must first meet some basic conditions of feasibility, sustainability, and economic feasibility.
1) Feasibility: It refers to the land capability to be rich enough to grow desired crops
2) Sustainability: It refers to the capability of the land to sustain a farming practice for future generations.
3) Economic feasibility: land should not require more maintenance than the yield it produces, economically and the location is an important factor in this because transportation of crops to consumers affects the price and also adds up to pollution if the vehicles used are petroleum-based.
The suitability of soils for irrigated crops is useful information but it is inadequate for making decisions about land use development.
Therefore all relevant land characteristics including soils, climate, topography, water resources, vegetation, etc., and also socio-economic conditions and infrastructure need to be considered.
CONVENTIONAL FARMING
Conventional farming, also known as industrial agriculture, refers to farming systems that include the use of synthetic chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and other continual inputs, genetically modified organisms, Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, heavy irrigation.
The prevailing agricultural system has delivered tremendous gains in productivity and efficiency. Food production worldwide has risen in the past 50 years; the World Bank estimates that between 70 percent and 90 percent of the recent increases in food production are the results of conventional agriculture.
The pros of conventional farming so far have been great
1. It will increase crop yields. standard farming helps to provide higher overall yields for the farmer as a result of less of the crop is broken thanks to natural conditions. Chemicals applied to the croplands will facilitate to scale back pests, encourage the crops to retain a lot of water, and eliminate weeds that are competing for resources
2. It makes the crops a lot of fruitful. Genetically changed crops not solely facilitate to avoid wasting bound crops from extinction, however, it will build them become a lot of fruitful further. associate ear of corn will grow larger or a wheat field will become resistant to a neighborhood plant due to standard farming efforts. Genetically changed foods are even comparable in nutritionary content.
3. It helps farmers be able to feed the planet. because the world approaches the ten billion population mark by the year 2050, croplands are attending to be at a premium. Not all ground is appropriate for growing food and can|there'll} be less land obtainable as a result of individuals will like places to measure. standard farming permits for the potential of the complete world still being fed as a result of it makes the dedicated lands a lot of productive.
The conventional way of farming has its own set of achievements but as the population grows the demerits of this are highlighted in great amounts but not the merits.
The major problem of Conventional Farming is its sustainability, as the excessive use of pesticides and fertilizers overland doesn't turn out to be good for anyone.
But now is the time to face its Cons
1. It doubtless harms the soil. typical farming takes a toll on the soil that's ready to turn outcrops. solution imbalances, chemical toxins, and eventually erosion all occur as a result of an equivalent crop is being full-grown on acre when an acre of land.
2. Resistance eventually grows to farm ways. Nature includes a method of adapting to virtually something humans throw at it. Bugs area unit developing resistance to the pesticides that area unit utilized in typical farming. Weeds are adapting to herbicides. this suggests even stronger chemical area units are needed.
3. several countries ban typical farming. while not export choices, farmers area unit left to undertake to promote to their own communities to achieve funding. many countries have illegal GMO crops and traditional farming practices, that limit the product’s potential.
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