Global food crisis is making many consider subsistence farming. Many who live in big cities often feel helpless without soil. In Lagos, there is hardly any space left for parking in most residential houses in high population areas like Oyingbo, Shomolu, Ebute Metta, Oshodi and more. Hence, gardening is often found in houses on the outskirts. Nevertheless, there are alternative ways of growing plants today without soil.
Soilless growing, also known as hydroponics, is based on the idea that plants can grow and thrive without the need for a traditional substrate. Instead of using soil, plant roots are immersed in a nutrient solution containing the nutrients essential for their growth.
Hydroponics relies on nutrient-rich water solution instead and it is considered a viable option when soil resources are limited or land is scarce. Hydroponics can be used to grow a variety of plants, including tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers, melons, lettuce, strawberries, herbs, aubergine, and chillies.
Hydroponics has many advantages, including faster growing times, higher yields, year-round production, reduced risk of crop failure, more consistent quality of produce and earlier detection and correction of nutritional deficiencies.
Hydroponics can be done in a variety of ways, including:
- Aeroponics: A method where plant roots are suspended in the air for most of their life.
- Rockwool: A method where plants are grown in rockwool.
Vertical farming is yet another method of growing crops without soil, and it’s often done indoors in a controlled environment. Vertical farming can produce fresh fruit and vegetables all year, and it can use less water than traditional farming. In Benue state, Nigeria, many residents reportedly plant yams in their rooms.
In areas where flooding is common, farming is done through the innovative ideas called ‘Floating gardens.’
Floating gardens are unique and sustainable in terms of low operating cost, offering farming solutions in flood-prone communities. Floating gardens in Mexico, India, Cambodia and Myanmar. In each region, there are different options available to farmers in terms of the vegetables they can grow. Indeed, Climate change presents a real threat for farming communities all around the world but as more farming communities turn to floating gardens, there is an increased stability in crop production.
The strength and extent of the floating garden depend on the construction of the raft and the weight of the material placed/grown on it.
