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Cities are growing, space for cultivation is shrinking, and the demand for fresh food continues to grow. Innovative farming methods – urban agriculture and vertical farming – are developing in response to these challenges. While the two approaches are complementary (they aim to produce food using limited agricultural space), they differ in terms of technology or scale of cultivation, among other things. What are the characteristics of both types of agriculture? We have created a comparison.
What is vertical farming?
Vertical farming (also known as vertical farming) is an innovative method of growing crops in multi-level structures, such as enclosed buildings or special modular containers. Unlike traditional farms, which require large areas of land for cultivation, vertical farming maximizes the use of limited space, as plants are grown in a stacked manner.
The basis of this technology is controlled environmental conditions – plants receive optimal lighting, nutrients and proper moisture.
Differences between urban farming and vertical farming
Urban farming is the concept of growing plants in urbanized spaces. It can be implemented by creating gardens between blocks and on the roofs of buildings, vertical gardens on walls or planting plants on balconies and terraces.
The main difference between vertical and urban agriculture is the structure of the crops. Urban agriculture is dominated by horizontal agricultural surfaces, while vertical agriculture uses a stacked layout, maximizing the number of plants in a limited space. Differences can also be seen in the technologies used – vertical relies on advanced irrigation or lighting systems, while urban farming mostly relies on traditional methods.
What are the similarities?
Vertical agriculture can be used in a variety of locations, including:
- in urban centers,
- in abandoned warehouses converted into farms,
- in containers (so-called mobile farms),
- on rooftops as part of urban agriculture.
This means that vertical agriculture is sometimes combined with urban agriculture. One of the best-known examples of integrating a vertical farming method with urban architecture is Bosco Verticale Milan. The complex of two high-rise buildings was designed to house thousands of trees and shrubs that produce oxygen, absorb CO₂ and regulate the building’s temperature.
Vertical and urban agriculture systems
Urban agriculture usually relies on traditional soil-based farming methods adapted to urban conditions. Rooftop farming is one of the most common forms of urban agriculture – plants are grown in boxes of soil. Also popular are community gardens, where residents work together to grow vegetables and fruits on specially designated urban plots.
Vertical farming uses technologies that allow plants to be grown under controlled conditions without soil. Hydroponics is a system in which plants grow in an aqueous solution rich in nutrients. Aeroponics involves suspending plant roots in the air and regularly spraying them with a nutrient-rich mist, further reducing water use. Aquaponics, on the other hand, is an innovative combination of plant breeding and aquaculture. The waste produced by the fish is a natural fertilizer. Thus, the plants purify the water for the fish, providing a closed-loop ecosystem.
Comparison of urban and vertical agriculture
Year-round production
Vertical agriculture allows harvesting year-round because the growth cycle is shorter (28 days on average). In urban agriculture, crops depend on the seasons, which limits the amount of harvesting.
Weather protection
Vertical agriculture is implemented in enclosed spaces, so it is not dependent on the weather. In the case of urban farming, drought, frosts or storms can destroy crops.
Organic cultivation
Both methods can be organic, but in vertical farming controlled conditions reduce the use of chemicals and manage resources more precisely.
Labor costs
Vertical farming is more automated, reducing labor costs by up to 30%, but initially requires higher investment than traditional urban farming.
Transportation costs
Both systems minimize transportation costs because production takes place close to consumers. In urban agriculture, food is literally “at hand,” while in vertical agriculture it is often on the outskirts of cities.
Environmental impact
Urban agriculture helps green cities and improves air quality. Vertical farming saves water (by up to 95%) and reduces CO₂ emissions.
Both methods address the challenges of not having access to fertile land for farming. However, vertical farming allows crops to be grown on a larger scale, so it will grow in popularity in the long term.