Recent projections that total world population will hit the10 billion mark by the year 2050. This is according to the Population Reference Bureau (PRB) in a 2018 report published on the annual world population data sheet. Going by these numbers, it means there will be over 2 billion more mouths to feed by the year 2050. Couple that with the effects of global warming and increased urbanization and we could be looking at an imminent terrible food crisis. Unless of course, we come up with more sustainable/innovative ways of improving food production.
Urban Farming for Sustainable Agriculture
Highly automated urban farming continues to gain substantial backing as more companies and organizations look for innovative ways to use available spaces for sustainable green initiatives. We are seeing entire farms producing all kinds of fruits and vegetables erected on rooftops terraces and even balconies in major cities around the globe. Automation is once again expected to play a pivotal role in sustainable and innovative urban agriculture.
There are obvious constraints that have to be dealt with in order to make these modern farms a success. Perhaps the most obvious one is the issue of staffing. Urban farms or vertical farms as they are commonly referred to, have to make do with the least possible amount of manpower due to spatial, cost and technical constraints. This is where modern automation through the use of robotics comes in.
Traditional Automation Vs Modern Robotics for Sustainable Farming
Automation isn’t a new subject in agriculture. Large scale farming has over the years taken advantage of advancements in farming automation and robotics to boost farm productivity and streamline various processes in the farm. However, effective as they have been; large scale traditional automation solutions may not necessarily be transferred to urban farms.
Think of it this way, a traditional farm exists in a completely different setup as compared to urban farms. First, there is the environmental factor; modern farms may not necessarily exist in a natural setup with exposure to the same natural elements like rain, wind, pollinators, etc. Secondly, modern farms are usually set up in areas that require precise spatial management so they don’t interfere with the core business of their host (e.g. buildings, terraces, balconies, etc.)
This is why urban farmers are turning to modern robotic systems designed to operate in tight spaces. Robotic arms can be installed to perform various routine tasks like pruning, watering, planting, and picking. These robots can be configured to connect to a central command system and operate autonomously or semi-autonomously.
Collaborative Robots in Urban Farms
Collaborative robots or Cobots as they commonly referred to are used deployed extensively in urban farms to assist human workers in performing a variety of routine tasks within the farm for better productivity and accuracy. There are industrial robots for sale that provide a wide range of functions that urban farmers can take advantage of to improve their workflow on the farm while reducing costs.
Collaborative robots are designed to assist human operators in their daily activities as opposed to entirely replacing them. The beauty of Cobots is their versatility since they can be modified to perform a wide range of activities depending on current needs in the farm. For instance, a single Cobot can be modified to plant seedlings at the beginning and later the same robot arm can be modified to prune, water and pick during harvesting.
Automated Urban Farming Is the Future
As more and more people migrate to urban areas, there is a need for creative farmers and entrepreneurs to take this great opportunity to bring fresh farm produce closer to the consumer. Research has also shown that it’s easier to implement sustainable farming methods in these automated urban farms as compared to traditional farms.
The numbers look pretty impressive when it comes to finances in sustainable urban farming. According to a report published by IBISWorld, indoor farms are estimated to be having over $800 million annual revenues and are expected to grow as more and more urban farmers join the industry. This is quite impressive considering the fact that the report was based on 185 indoor urban farms around the world.
