If in previous articles we already drew you the panorama of a not too distant future full of cars without driver and robots that, little by little, will be replacing humans in many tasks, today we want to discuss with you the progress of indoor crops in which large technology companies are investing more and more money. Will we get to see the traditional farms and gardens disappear because they have been replaced by crops that never see the light of the sun?
High technology to grow lettuces
In recent years, large technology companies such as Panasonic , Toshiba , Sony or Fujitsu have moved their production plants to countries where labor laws are more flexible and allow lower costs of production of their articles. This, among other things, has had as a consequence that the large buildings on which their factories were located in first world countries are being abandoned, so these companies have decided to reconvert them: the factories are now large indoor gardens.
For years, there are already a number of companies, such as the American Green Spirit Farms, which were engaged in making this type of vertical crops , indoors and under artificial light. In them you can control all the conditions of humidity, temperature and hours of light that the plants need to develop in optimal conditions.
It has been in recent years when large technology companies such as those cited have seen the potential of this sector. To give you an idea:
In July 2014, Panasonic opened its first 245-square-meter indoor farm in Singapore. Currently, there are 3.6 tons of vegetables produced per year.
In early 2014, Toshiba began growing vegetables such as lettuce or spinach in one of its former plants in Japan . According to estimates made by the company itself, a profit of 300 million yen per year (about two million euros) is expected.
In 2013, Sharp Corporation started to grow strawberries indoors in Dubai where, thanks to its own technology, it controlled factors such as humidity or temperature from its headquarters in Japan.
Are indoor crops the future of agriculture?
Well, the truth is that everything points to this type of crops will be the gardens that we will see in a few years. In this type of indoor crops, all the light, water and temperature conditions that the plants need to develop in an optimal environment are controlled, down to the smallest detail, and all this, in general, remotely. Cultivate in optimal conditions, without exposing the plants to possible pests or diseases of the external crop and in vertical plantations, it minimizes the risk of losses due to adverse conditions, external agents or lack of arable space. The nutritional properties of the food are maintained, while 98% less water is spent and 70% less fertilizer .
For now everything seems advantages, right? And you, what do you think about this type of crops ? Do you think they are the future or just a fad? Do you think that they can suppose an authentic agrarian revolution ? Tell us!