Vertical Farming: A Solution for Crop Loss in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley

Vertical Farming: A Solution for Crop Loss in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley. Amir Maan, a farmer from Abbotsford, British Columbia, has turned to vertical farming as a solution to crop loss caused by severe weather conditions such as a heat dome and flooding.

Due to these losses, Maan invested in a vertical greenhouse last year, which allowed his family to shift almost eight football fields’ worth of strawberries indoors, making it possible to control environmental factors such as light, humidity, and temperature.

Maan believes that the greenhouse allows farmers to have a reliable crop for their community, which is a significant benefit as farmers cannot control the weather.

Vertical farming involves stacking shelves of crops atop one another, which takes up less space than traditional farming.

While microgreens, leafy greens, and herbs are already being grown using vertical farming by more than 150 agritech companies in British Columbia, strawberries are seen as the next frontier.

The startup costs for vertical farming are a significant barrier, according to Maan, but the investment has been worthwhile for his family’s farm.

Additionally, locally grown strawberries are environmentally friendly, as they emit fewer emissions than imported fruit.

Vertical Farming: A Solution for Crop Loss in British Columbia’s Fraser Valley