SAN ACADEMY, PALLIKARANAI

1A, 200 Feet Radial Road, Narayanapuram, Pallikaranai,

Chennai – 600 100

ACADEMIC YEAR (2023-2024)

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ECONOMICS PROJECT ON
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NAME OF THE STUDENT:

CLASS AND SECTION :

SUBJECT :

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CBSE ROLL NO :
SUGANYA.S DATE:
SAN ACADEMY,
1A, 200 Feet Radial Road,
Narayanapuram, Pallikaranai,
Chennai – 600 100

CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the project work entitled “______Topic______” was done
under my supervision.

The project work is being submitted by (Student name) of class XII – C as a part of
the assessment in Economics practical examination. This is the original work of the
candidate during the academic year 2023-2024.

Signature of the Subject Teacher Signature of the Co-ordinator

Signature of the Principal School seal

Signature of the External Examiner

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I thank my Principal MS. HEMALATHA SOORYANARAYANAN for giving me

a wonderful opportunity to do this project.

I thank my subject teacher MS. SUGANYA . S who guided and helped me in doing

this project completely. I would also like to thank my parents who helped me in

completing my project successfully. I would also like to thank all my friends who

helped in completing this project.

_______________________

NAME OF THE STUDENT

 INDEX

S.No CONTENT Pg.No

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 INTRODUCTION
Vertical farming is the practice of growing crops in vertically stacked layers or integrated in
other structures (such as in a skyscraper or old warehouse) with use of less water and no soil.

The modern ideas of vertical farming use indoor farming techniques and controlled-
environment agriculture (CEA) technology, where all environmental factors can be controlled
such as artificial control of light, humidity, temperature also Bio fortification which is to breed
crops to increase their nutritional value.

It is predicted that the world population will reach 10 billion by 2050 , of which 70% - 80%
will live in urban centers. This change, alongside a changing climate, will strain Earth’s
resource, specially the ability to supply too. A valuable investigation would be to determine
other ways to supply food to cities alongside current agricultural practices in a sustainable
Manner.

One idea is the concept of vertical farming.

 OBJECTIVE

Vertical Farming is the urban farming of fruits, vegetables, and grains, inside a building in a
city or urban centre, in which floors are designed to accommodate certain crops. The objective
of this dissertion was to investigate the feasibility and plausibility of the verical farming
concept in three specific and interrelated research domains.

The first research question was to investigate whether enough energy can be generated onsite
to meet the needs of the building.

The second research question was to investigate the carbon footprint of produce grown
vertically and compare that to produce grown conventionally (Greenhouse and Outdoors).

The final research question was to investigate how relevant stakeholders preceive he concept
of vertical farming and what they believe are current barriers and opportunities towards uptake
of the technology.

The purpose of this investigation was to detemine ways to supply food to cities in an energy
efficient and sustainable manner from both quantitative and qualitative approach.
 REVIEW OF LITERATURE

1.Vertical Farming for the Future

Sarah Federman & Paul M. Zankowski - 2018

The authors state that with the help of vertical farming we are not only able to get fresh
products but it also results in increase in the food production. Producing fresh greens
and vegetables close to the growing urban populations could help meet growing global
food demands in an environmentally responsible and sustainable way by reducing
distribution chains to offer lower emissions, providing higher-nutrient produce, and
drastically reducing water usage and runoff. Recently, USDA and the Department of
Energy held a stakeholder workshop focused on vertical agriculture and sustainable
urban ecosystems. At this workshop, field experts shared thought-provoking
presentations followed by small group discussions focusing on areas such as plant
breeding, pest management, and engineering.

2.Vertical Farming Is Raising Agriculture’s Potential and Lowering its Environmental

Impact

Robin Fearon - 2020

Vertical farming is a hugely promising agricultural technique that aims to produce more
food to meet the growing population on our finite planet. Techniques include growing in
vertical frames or even in high-rise farms, saving on precious ground space, while
moving farms into urban areas, and producing nutritious crops without topsoil.
Traditional farming needs a lot of space to tend livestock and fertile soil to grow either
food crops or feed for livestock. Typically that means clearing forest or other wild
habitats. Vertical farming allows food production facilities to be built close to population
centers rather than in rural areas. Sewing vegetables and fruit in stacked planters in
underground complexes, on top of buildings or even in high-rise facilities, means food
production can expand upwards rather than outwards.
 STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
Economics has always been a wide field which gives a student knowledge about the daily life of a
common man. A change in the economy of a country brings a change in an ordinary man and vice
versa.

I purpose this study to inspire and bring awareness among students to march towards the development
of economy. This project helps me understand, analyse and interpret the project topic cashless
economy for better understanding and working towards the aim of the project. Instead of memorizing
the topic I learnt to analyse and gain practical experience through this project.

Good knowledge of economics leads to better decision-making and choices, understanding how people
and countries interact with each other and can significantly improve the quality of life for individuals
and in the larger scale to countries.

I want to study economics and build a solid knowledge in the field to be able to see the causes of things
more clearly, understand and find out the ways to make good economic decisions, and build a career
through which I can make good contribution to the field by using the acquired academic skills correctly.

My independent research in the field started with my curious interest in the processes of how decisions
made by individuals and governments, what are the main factors encouraged them to choose decision
over other options and the outcomes of those decisions.

KEYWORDS
1) Vertical Farming

2) Hydroponics

3) Aquaponics

4) Aeroponics
 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
NAME OF THE PERSON:
OCCUPATION OF THE PERSON:

1) Are you familiar with the term Vertical Farming?

A) Yes B) No

2) What is one advantage to vertical farming?

A) Its fast B) Year round

3) What is the predicted global population in 2050?

A) 15 billion B) 10 billion

4)
ORIGINS OF VERTICAL FARMING
The concept of vertical farming was first pioneered by Dickson Despommier in 1999. He was a
professor of Public and Environmental Health at Columbia University. Challenging his students
on whether food could be grown on the rooftops of New York skyscrapers, a concept was created
in which a 30-story vertical farm grown by hydroponics and artificial light could feed about
50,000 people.

Although the professor’s farm was not built, the idea did take off, inspiring many later designs.

As a result, governments and developers around the world would take note of vertical farming
and implement it in cities such as Abu Dhabi, New York, Los Angeles, Bangalore, Dubai,
Beijing etc. Between 2014 and November 2020 about $1.8 billion were invested into startups
working on creating vertical farms.
 NEED FOR VERTICAL FARMING
Increasing food demand due to growing population along with ever decreasing arable lands poses
as one of the greatest challenges. The high yield farming methods that support our immense
population are characterized by their instable consumption of our limited reserves of fresh water,
fossil fuel and soil.

Vertical farming is the urban farming of crops inside a building in a city or urban centre, wherein
the floors are designed to accommodate certain crops.

These heights will act as future farm lands and that they can built by nations with little or no
arable land, transforming nations which are currently unable to farm into top food producers.

Vertical farming creates an alternate source of sustainable food production units for today’s urban
needs and future generation.

The food production is just the start. These vertical farms will recycle grey water and black
water, generate power from the incineration of plant waste (think plasma arc gasification) which
will reduce waste to its constituent molecules, and harvest water from
dehumidification. Every urban center gets one or several thus cutting way
down on food miles.

The main objective of vertical farming is to maximise yield against minimal

usage of natural resources. It promotes precision agriculture as well as sustainable agriculture
way more than traditional techniques of cultivation.
 Types of Vertical Farms
The following are the known types of Vertical Farming

1. Vertical Farms in buildings

Abandoned buildings are repurposed for vertical farming, but it’s not necessary that such
buildings be used often. Depending on the requirements new buildings are also used to
construct vertical farms.

2. Shipping-Container Vertical Farms

Old or recycled shipping containers are equipped with LED lighting, vertically stacked farms,
climate controls and monitoring sensors. Such types of farms can save space and get a higher
yield in the process.

3. Underground Vertical Farms

Also known as ‘Deep Farms’, these types of vertical farms are built in underground tunnels,
abandoned mine shafts or any subterranean environment. The constant temperature and
humidity means that they require less energy for heating and as for water supply, the
underground water source can be used. Such farms can also produce 7 to 9 times more food
than a conventional farm.
 Techniques of Vertical Farming
Hydroponics

Hydroponics is the method of growing plants without the involvement of soil. Here, plant roots are
submerged in magnesium, nitrogen, potassium calcium etc. These solutions support roots, improving
chances of higher yield and reducing dependence on water.

Studies have shown that there have been 11 times yield compared to conventional farms at a cost of
13 times less water. Thus hydroponics is the most widely used method in Vertical Farming.
Aquaponics

A slightly advanced method that Hydroponics, Aquaponics integrated production of plants with that
of aquatic organisms in a closed loop system resembling nature itself.

Aeroponics

Like the name suggests, Aeroponics does not use mediums like solid or liquid, instead it uses air to
grow plants. A liquid solution is used in air where the plants are located, through which the plants
absorb nutrients. It is the most suited method as it requires neither water nor soil and requires no
growing medium.

Advantages and Disadvantages of

Vertical Farming
ADVANTAGES
1. Efficiency
Conventional farms require too much land and water, while vertical farming requires a fraction of it with
more yield per acre. Another additional benefit is that vertical farming can produce crops throughout the
year. Even more that one crop can be harvested at once due to their individual land and plots.

2. Weather resistant

Traditional farming is subjected to unpredictable weather patterns and natural disasters such
floods, droughts, wildfires, etc. In a controlled environment of vertical farming such factors are negated
and thus less susceptible to disruption in the supply chain process.

3. Environmental Conservation

Vertical farming helps in environmental conservation as deforestation that accompanies traditional

farming can be negated, thus saving resources in the long run.

Producing food indoors reduces or eliminates conventional plowing, planting, and harvesting by farm
machinery, protecting soil, and reducing emissions.

DISADVANTAGES
1. Huge costs

Vertical farming is quite costly and some use urban settings where the real estate prices are high,
thus, its maintenance costs are even higher as compared to traditional farming.

2. High Energy Consumption

During the growing season, the sun shines on a vertical surface at an extreme angle such that
much less light is available to crops than when they are planted on flat land.

Therefore, supplemental light would be required.

CASE STUDY
A) SKY GREEN VERTICAL FARMING, SINGAPORE
Sky Greens is world’s first low carbon, hydraulic driven vertical farm. Uses green urban
solutions to achieve production of safe, fresh and delicious vegetables, using minimal land, water
and energy resources.

Sky Greens is the innovation hub of its holding company, Sky Urban Solutions Holding Pte Ltd.
The farm can produce up to 30kg of vegetables a day, or 6 to 7kg for each square metre a month.
In comparison, traditional farms yield 2 to 3kg for each square metre a month.

The farm harnesses natural sunlight and uses 40W electricity to power one 9 meter tall tower for
unique hydraulic water driven system for stack rotation and 0.5litre of water to rotate 1.7 ton
vertical structure which is recycled and reused.

Since it is a protected environment it ensures that the system can be relatively maintenance free
and have low manpower dependency.

B) TRITON FOOD WORKS, DELHI

Triton food works prides itself on building and operating technologically advanced, climate
controlled greenhouses that ensure a consistent and reliable supply of premium quality produce.

The company has built and operates over 150,000 sq. Ft. of greenhouses across India. Triton food
works is actively looking for expansion projects across the country.

Technologies used are CEA,hydroponics, aeroponics and non GMO grow about 18 varieties of
crop including oregano, thyme, tomato, iceberg, broccoli, and strawberries.
C) Panasonic Indoor Farm, Singapore

This vertical farm founded by Panasonic grows whopping 80 tons of veggies In 2014, they
started growing leafy greens inside a warehouse in Singapore and selling them to local grocers
and restaurants.

At the time, the 2,670-square-foot farm produced just 3.6 tons of produce per year. The farm's
square footage and output have both more than quadrupled since then.
 Everything grows under LEDs instead of sunlight. The lights come from a local company and
waste less energy than typical light bulbs . The LEDs shine at a specific frequency that
encourages the plants to grow quickly.

The farmers also control the warehouse's climate, including its oxygen and pH levels, as well as
temperature.

Panasonic’s 248 square meter farm is located inside a factory building on the outskirts of the city,
where standard fluorescent lighting gives way to a pinkish-purple glow from LED lights brought
in to nurture the plants. The company restricts visitors to maintain the controlled levels of
temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide.

Vertical farming allows PANASONIC to make the most of warehouses space .The farmers can
control the indoor farm’s climate including pH levels temperature and oxygen.40 varieties of
crops are grown from Mizuna to Romaine lettuce, mini red radish. They are aiming to start 30
additional varieties. Indoor farms could enable the nation to become more self-sufficient.

IMPORTANT FEATURES OF
VERTICAL FARMING
Vertical farms enable the producer to:
 Grow food 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
 Protect crops from unpredictable and harmful weather.
  Re-use of water collected from the indoor environment.
 Provide jobs for residents/communities.
 Minimize use of pesticides/fertilizers/herbicides.
 Drastic reduction and dependence on fossil fuels.
 Prevent crop loss from storage/shipping/long transportation.
 Stop agricultural runoff, water saving up to 90%.

Pride of providing food- an euphoric feelings

Education and training to school children in food production.

MAJOR CHALLENGES IN
ADOPTING VERTICAL FARMING
The Major challenges in vertical farming include:

1) Considering of vertical farming as supplementary agriculture.

2) Partial no plant-nature interaction.
3) Cost intensive cultivation.
4) Lack of Expertise and infrastructure.
5) Development of suitable varieties and/or hybrids of suitable crops.
6) Generation of unpleasant odour /smell over the period ( cannot be called a totally environment
friendly technology).

INDIAN PERSPECTIVE ON
VERTICAL FARMING
The vertical farming technology of today in the Indian scenario is costly, and consequently, its
produce is also costly. Thus, it is difficult today to compete with the market price obtained from
modern geoponic agriculture. However, the produce of vertical farming has a sizeable market
only in the Indian metros, mainly in the high-end hotels and well-to-do (high-income) population.
The ground reality is that soilless vertical farms for greens (leafy vegetables, strawberries, and
herbs) are largely owned by the hotel industry, which also supplies quality fresh food to other
industrial houses and financially well-off people.

On the research and development (R&D) and human resource fronts, the two pillars of any
successful venture, technology is unfortunately still in its infancy in India. Its status as ‘organic’
or ‘inorganic’ is also controversial. Currently, vertical farming is not amenable to major food
crops. Even with several limitations, the technology has the potential to produce 10 times more
per unit area than traditional agriculture and has scope for integration into the present and future
lifestyles of food production and consumption. Besides being sustainable, this technology has
several positives, like requiring less land, water, fertilizers, pesticides, and other inputs. Vertical
farming is also possible in lakes, under or above water, in space, even in kitchens, and in all the
places where humans can live and work.

MAKING OF VERTICAL FARM

(MODEL)
AIM: To make a Vertical Farm
EQUIPMENTS USED: Angles, iron pipe, PVC Pipes, Wall, Plastic tubs, Soil, Manure,
Rotating tyers, Paint.

TOOLS USED: Hammer, Chipping Hammer, Tong, Welding Machine, Drilling Machine,
Grinding Machine, etc.

PROCEDURE:

1) At first we design the structure for the vertical farm.

2) Then drill holes in the tub.
3) Mix manure and soil.
4) Fill tubs with mixture of manure and soil.
5) Then divide this mixture into 3 rows.
6) Then we sprinkle seeds into soil 1 inch deep, it takes almost 2 weeks to grow up.
7) Plumbing work.
8) Then we test it with water.

PRECAUTIONS:

1) Proper Sunlight, air and water is needed.

2) Handle tubs with care.
3) Keep it safe from birds as they might eat the seeds.

QUESTIONNAIRE
NAME OF THE PERSON:
OCCUPATION OF THE PERSON:
1) Have you heard about Verical Farming?

A) Yes B) No

2) Does Vertical Farming work in India?

A) Yes B) No

3) Where did Vertical Farming start?

A) India B) Armenia

4)

METHODOLOGY
Secondary data was collected from sources such as:
Published reports
Articles
Journals of scholars and economists
Government published documents
Published surveys
News reports
News articles and recordings of journals

Primary data was collected by preparing a questionnaire with 10 questions and a sample
space of 40 samples was collected from students. The collected data was organized and
calculated by simple average method and was interpreted through pie diagrams to draw
the conclusion.

LIMITATIONS
1) Collection of secondary data was challenging to get adequate information on the topic.
2) Limited access to primary data as it was collected from limited people.

3) Primary data collected was biased in nature

4) Time investment in analysing articles, scholar journal, books and others for collecting
information was more.

5) Due to time constraint covering much places to take out with the survey was not possible.

CONCLUSION
Vertical farming technologies are still relatively new. Companies are yet to successfully produce
crops at scale and make it economically feasible to meet the growing food demand.
The visionaries behind this new farming technique are working towards a networked agricultural
system that looks to the open-source software movement for inspiration.

In the future, by cooperating with image processing and mobile applications, we can control this
module remotely by using mobile application software.

We pose a question, which is how much vertical farming can be incorporated to create a balanced
environment, although landscape agriculture has to be maintained as long as we get used to this
new technique.

"Vertical farming needs to be heard, learned, and done".

BIBLIOGRAPHY
1) http://www.agricultureinformation.com/postings/hydroponics-cultivation-of-vegetables-
forbeginners

2)https://www.businessinsider.in/science/panasonics-first-indoor-farm-grows-over-80-tons-of-
greens-per-year-take-a-look-inside/articleshow/57045427.cms
 3) https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/record.jsf?pid=diva2%3A628988&dswid=-5792

4) https://www.businessinsider.in/Panasonics

5)
4) file:///C:/Users/user/Downloads/vertical%20farming/20161120_Honey
Colony_VerticalFarming-The-Future-of-Agriculture.pdf

6) http://www.tritonfoodworks.com