Perspective Chapter: Hydroponic Farming for Food and Nutrition Security – Challenges and Prospects

Abstract

The continuous growth of the global population, coupled with water shortages, climate change, pest and disease pressures, and urbanization, poses significant risks to the agriculture sector’s ability to feed the world’s 8 billion people. The limited natural resources, alongside increasing human needs and the ambitions of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), necessitate modernized agriculture that can produce high quantities of quality food. Hydroponics—a vertical, soilless crop production technique for food, animal feed, and ornamental purposes—emerges as a valuable alternative in modern agriculture, especially in areas where critical production elements like land and water are scarce. This innovative approach offers numerous advantages over conventional farming, including efficient water and space utilization, year-round production, reduced environmental impact, and enhanced environmental control through ongoing technological advancements. Due to its space-efficient nature, many farmers are increasingly adopting hydroponics for vegetable and fodder production. Therefore, hydroponic technology provides a sustainable solution for food and feed production, optimizes space use, conserves water, controls diseases, and addresses the multifaceted challenges of conventional agriculture, contributing to the achievement of the United Nations’ SDGs.