By the end of 2050, it is expected that the world population will explode to 9.7 billion people. And it will become hard to feed them all with conventional means of farming methods. With the development and urbanization, we are losing land every day. There will be a time when we will have no land to cultivate crops. This is where vertical farming companies can save people.
In 2015, scientists claimed that we have already used up one-third of the land in the last 40 years. Seeing the rate of arable land is decreasing, it is not really hard to predict just how precious land will become in the coming years.
Contents
What Is Vertical Farming?
Vertical farming is the process of cultivating crops on vertically inclined surfaces. These methods neglect the use of fields and cultivate crops at a single level. Instead, it focuses on cultivating crops on several levels.
Using the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) technology, the vertical farming companies are making this modern idea of cultivating crops a reality. In these methods, cultivators are able to cultivate the crops with the help of artificial controlled lights, temperature, humidity, and gases.
If you compare vertical farming with other methods, you will find a resemblance with greenhouse. Currently, many companies have surfaced to offer future solutions today. With the decreasing land day by day, several companies are trying to reduce the stress on land by growing crops with vertical farming methods.
Best Vertical Farming Companies In The World
Vertical farming a new business concept and is fairly new in the market. However, sewing how it is proving future problem solutions, many companies have started exploring vertical farming possibilities.
Here are some of the world-renowned companies that are offering vertical farming facilities.
1. AeroFarms
AeroFarms is a known company in the vertical farming industries. It is one of those vertical farming companies that have created its own new methods to cultivate crops. The company was launched in 2004, and since then, it has raised a fund of $138 million.
The AeroFarms uses Aeroponic technology. It is a farming process of growing crops in an air or mist environment without the use of soil or anything similar to that. The best part of this technology is that it uses 95% less water compared to conventional farming methods.
2. Green Spirit Farm
Green spirit farm was founded in 2013, and since then, it has been raising money for vertical farming. They are yurt to disclose the amount they have raised over the years.
However, according to area development, they were seen investing $27 million into new vertical farming technologies. This shows that Green Spirit Farms is well-financed.
Some experts even believe that the investment can be a fake rumor. Well, we also agree on that. Despite being a company thriving in the modern era, this company lacks an official website.
With everything going around the companies, this company stands strong and pursues vertical farming making it one of the top vertical farming companies.
3. Bright Farms
Here is another big start in the vertical farming industry. The bright farm was founded in 2010, and science has raised more than $112.
However, unlike any other new-generation vertical farming company, it isn’t into aeroponic technologies; rather, it is more interested in hydroponic technology.
Hydroponic technology is all about growing plants with the help of water only. More accurately, mineral nutrient solution in the water solvent.
The bright farm has a long list of impressive partners—Giant, Walmart, and Metro, to name a few.
4. Iron Ox
Iron Ox has a different way of operating or approaching the whole vertical farming methods. It uses robotic technology at every layer of operation. This is what makes Iron-Ox one of the best vertical farming companies in the world.
Iron Ox too is a proponent of hydroponic technology and is a retail-oriented company. It caters to products similar to all the other vertical farming companies- leafy green vegetables. It is a comparatively new company and holds a lot of potential.
5. AgriCool
AgriCool is the first french vertical farming company that uses Aeroponic technology to grow fruits and vegetables. In fact, they mostly focus on growing strawberries.
AgriCool aims to be as near as possible to prospective consumers and offer a program that is called Cultivator. This program aims to educate the customers to learn the new vertical farming techniques and help them to become producers and distributors themselves.
So far, AgriCool was able to raise $41 million in funding.
6. CropOne
We are still yet to know the extent of CropOne company. However, we did know that they have signed a joint venture agreement with Emirates Airline to build the world’s largest vertical farming facility.
Perhaps, the Emirates passenger will be able to enjoy dishes made out of the ingredients grown in the world’s largest vertical farming facilities.
CropOne was founded in 2011, and it claims that its farming methods use only 1% of the water of what is needed to practice traditional farming methods.
7. Freight Farms
Freight Farm, just like AgriCool, offers products. But these products are not in the form of green vegetables, rather shipping modified containers incorporated with hydroponic technology- The Greener.
In fact, Freight Farm claims to be one of the best vertical farming companies with advanced container farming technology. As you may expect, these farms can easily be controlled with the help of smartphones.
Freight was founded in 2010, and since then, it has raised more than $15 million.
Final Thoughts
These are not the only ones that offer future solutions to farming. However, they are certainly the ones that provide a complete solution. It is difficult to say how the companies will evolve over the years. But seeing how companies are taking this seriously, we can expect positive solutions.
Read Also: