14 THE CAAR COMMUNICATOR TECHNOLOGIES TO WATCH deserts, and, when we’re ready, outer space facilities. Vertical farming is part of a fuller technology known as Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), but we’ll discuss CEA a bit further down in this article. Vertical farming can reduce GHG emissions via a carbon-neutral energy supply, water recovery, and recycling, and is a green alternative for its ability to be farmed on a pre-existing, underutilized building structure. Because it’s indoors—though we suppose some farms could apply the technique outside—vertical farming allows for year-round crop production. So, what’s holding it back? Sometimes there are zoning restrictions regarding the growth of agriculture in a cityscape. There’s also the high initial investment cost, energy consumption, and scalability. Founded in 2004, AeroFarms is now in its fifth generation of vertical farming technology. It opened its first commercial farm in Ithica, New York, a second in Newark, New Jersey, and a third in Danville, Virginia. This writer could not find a Canadian company running a vertical farming enterprise, but the US has AppHarvest, Bowery Farming, CubicFarm Systems, Dream Harvest, Eden Green Technology, FarmOne, and more. Blockchain for Supply Chain Transparency This writer admits to having his eyes glaze and his brain fog over whenever he hears a phrase that didn’t exist when he went to school. And here we are looking at the technology of blockchain for supply chain transparency. Oh. Where was I? Part of the confusion surrounding the technology of blockchain is that it shares a name with cryptocurrency. In that example, a blockchain is a system where a record of transactions made in cryptocurrencies is maintained on computers linked to a peer-to-peer network. The key phraseology of that definition is “record of transactions.” A definition of the term from Amazon Web Services: “Blockchain technology is an advanced database mechanism that allows transparent information sharing within a business network. A blockchain database stores data in blocks that are linked together in a chain.” So, note that blockchains in agriculture are not used to grow crops. It is, however, a methodology used to provide a more secure supply chain route where the consumer can be assured that the food they eat has been handled safely along every step of its journey from farm to distribution centre to grocery store to home. It can’t guarantee farm-to-fork because once it’s in your home, it relies on you taking proper care—outside the blockchain. Blockchains ensure traceability, quality control, and transparency throughout the supply chain. It’s to ease the worried mind of the consumer, who demands information about food origins and production practices. We have seen some fish companies since 2014 provide such information within a QR code on a package that can be scanned to show a video and map of where the fish was caught, by what boat, and when, etc. Anaerobic Digesters Yes, anaerobic digester technology has been around for a while, and yet it remains underutilized. Anaerobic digesters break down organic waste (such as manure) to produce biogas (methane). This renewable energy source can power farms and reduce emissions. The digestion of the waste product takes place within a sealed reactor vessel, which can be designed and constructed into various shapes and sizes depending on the feedstock conditions. Inside the reactor containing the waste product, it creates a complex microbial community to digest where it forms biogas and digestate (that’s the solid and liquid material end-products of the anaerobic digester process), which is discharged from the digester. Located in Burlington, Ontario, Anaergia Inc. provides global anaerobic digestion solutions focusing on converting organic waste into renewable energy through technologies such as organic separation, anaerobic digestion, and biogas upgrading. Regenerative Agriculture In farming, there’s a line drawn between restorative agriculture (endless use, reuse, and repair) versus regenerative agriculture, which is more of a maintenance and upgrade of the ecosystem’s functionality. The goal of regenerative agriculture is to improve farm resilience, crop yield, and crop quality. This can be achieved by improving the farm’s soil health, its water quality, enhancing its biodiversity, and reducing the impact of synthetic inputs. This ensures ecosystems parts are healthy and working best together. One example of regenerative ag practice is the use of cover cropping, planting crops in soil that might otherwise be bare after the harvest of a cash crop. Doing this keeps living roots in the soil, which helps stymie soil erosion, increase water retention, and improve overall soil health. Biotechnology advancements can also affect the way a crop grows. If the entire ecosystem is working in harmony, we could expect a crop to have better disease resistance or a higher yield. Agricultural Drones Lest one forget, drones are not just used in wars. As we know, drones have become a key part of progressive ag technology, helping farmers with crop scouting and providing detailed aerial data, all of which help the farm business make a more well-informed decision about what to do next. Drones allow farmers to monitor crops and even livestock conditions
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