Will Hydroponics feed the people of the future? Watch this video to find out and discuss in the comments.

Video Script:

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With a global population of over 7.5 billion people and rising, it’s a scary question to ask, “how can we continue to feed the world?”. In 2015, a super El Niño caused massed flooding and high drought around the globe that resulted in major crop failure, leaving an estimated 10 million people facing hunger. Mongolia, for example, lost an estimated 80% of their crops due to drought and harsh conditions.

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But, what if we were able to save 100% of all food grown? And the food we grew could be in our own homes, or in areas otherwise too hot or cold to grow vegetables like lettuce or tomatoes; or in space as we travel to other planets? Hydroponic crops can be the answer to feeding our hungry and growing world population.

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Hydroponics comes from the greek terms: ‘Hydro’ meaning water and ‘ponos’ meaning work or labor. Unlike conventional crops where a seed is dug into soil, hydroponic crops are grown almost entirely in water. Situated in a greenhouse or any closed structure, hydroponics plants rely on a steady supply of nutrient enriched water in place of soil. Using a small inert medium such as: gravel, sawdust or sand, the seed is fully submerged in water, where everything from temperature, CO2 and oxygen are carefully gaged as it grows.

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The benefits of replacing soil immediately eliminates pests, plant diseases that destroy crops, and weeds. Although you may be thinking hydroponics uses more water because it is soilless, compared to conventional farming, only 1/20th of the same water is used. That’s because everything is regulated, recycled and re-used. This creates a more stable and higher crop yield reducing loss and waste. In addition, the labor involved in up-keeping and mending the plants is reduced significantly. Perhaps, the most significant benefit of hydroponics is its advantage to be grown in large urbanized cities where fresh fruits and vegetables can be difficult to come by .

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Hydroponics isn’t restricted to farmers or those with lots of space and money. In fact, if you have ever stuck a plant stem in a cup of water and saw roots grow, you practiced the basic forms of hydroponics. In 2015, NASA’s astronauts bit into the first hydroponically space grown lettuce aboard the international space station. And with plans for launches to Mars, the future of farming is sure to be out of this world.

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Having been around since the ancient Egyptians, hydroponics is not new to the world. What makes it revolutionary is the opportunity to efficiently provide stable crop sources to every and any part of the world; eliminating: crop failure, water waste, and pesticidal usage. The technology needed to sustain our hungry population is in our hands. All we need is a seed dropped into a little water. And in time, the hopes of our world fed and grown into sustainability will become a connected, living reality.

Hydroponics – A short introduction