Climate change is a pressing global issue that poses significant challenges to food security and agricultural sustainability in Nigeria. As extreme weather events become more frequent and unpredictable, conventional farming methods face mounting uncertainties. However, emerging technologies, such as vertical farming, offer a promising solution to mitigate the impact of climate change on agriculture.
The agriculture sector in Nigeria accounts for approximately 22% of Nigeria’s GDP and employs over 36% of the country’s labor force. However, the effects of climate change, with rising temperatures and erratic rainfall patterns, are adversely affecting agricultural productivity. According to NiMet’s Annual Climate Review Report, Nigeria experienced a 21% reduction in annual rainfall in 2020 compared to the previous year, indicating the increasing variability of rainfall patterns.
These extreme weather events are also posing challenges to food production and supply chains. The FAO’s “State of the World’s Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture” report estimates that Nigeria loses approximately 3% of its agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP) due to land degradation annually.
While climate change presents significant challenges, it also opens opportunities for innovative solutions to build climate-resilient agricultural practices.
Vertical Farming as a Climate Change Mitigation Strategy
Vertical farming involves cultivating crops in vertically stacked layers, often in controlled indoor environments. This innovative approach utilizes advanced technologies such as:
Hydroponics: A method of growing plants without soil, where the roots are submerged in nutrient-rich water, providing plants with essential nutrients.
hydroponic system
Aeroponics: A method of growing plants in an air or mist environment without soil or water, where the roots are suspended in the air and sprayed with nutrient-rich mist.
aeroponic system
Aquaponics: A method of cultivating fish & plants together in a constructed, recirculating ecosystem utilizing natural bacterial cycles to convert fish waste to plant nutrition.
aquaponic system
Vertical farming offers several advantages that make it a suitable climate change mitigation strategy. These include:
– Efficient Land Use: Vertical farms maximize land use by growing crops in vertical stacks, reducing the need for vast expanses of farmland.
– Water Conservation: Controlled environments in vertical farms allow for precise water management, leading to significant water savings.
– Reduced Pesticide Use: Indoor farming minimizes the need for pesticides and herbicides, promoting more sustainable agricultural practices.
– Year-Round Crop Production: Vertical farms provide a consistent and reliable supply of fresh produce regardless of seasonal variations.
– Decreased Transportation Emissions: Locally grown produce in urban centers reduces the carbon footprint associated with long-distance transportation.
Several countries have embraced vertical farming as part of their climate change mitigation efforts. Examples of successful vertical farms in urban settings include Sky Greens in Singapore and Gotham Greens in the United States. These projects demonstrate the feasibility and potential of vertical farming to address food security and environmental challenges.
Vertical Farming in Nigeria: Local Efforts and Initiatives
Climate-Resilient Agriculture in Urban Centers
Nigeria is experiencing rapid urbanization, with a significant portion of its population migrating to cities in search of better opportunities and living conditions. According to estimates by the Nigerian Urbanization Review by the World Bank, the country’s urban population is growing at an annual rate of 3.78%, one of the fastest urbanization rates in the world. The United Nations also revealed that, together, India, China, and Nigeria will account for 35% of the projected growth of the world’s urban population between 2018 and 2050.
As urban centers grow, many buildings become abandoned or underutilized, leading to urban decay and wasted resources. However, these vacant structures present an excellent opportunity for the implementation of vertical farming with its controlled indoor atmosphere that offers a stable environment for consistent crop production throughout the year, irrespective of external weather variations.
Converting abandoned buildings in urban centers into vertical farms also optimizes land use and transforms disused spaces into hubs of fresh produce production. Similarly, rooftops of buildings in urban areas can be repurposed for vertical farming. Rooftop farms have the advantage of utilizing underutilized spaces without requiring additional land, making them ideal for cities with limited available land for traditional agriculture.
Urban vertical farms can also play a vital role in enhancing food security in cities. By producing fresh produce closer to the point of consumption, vertical farms reduce the reliance on long-distance transportation of perishable goods from rural areas to urban centers. This not only lowers the carbon footprint associated with food transportation but also ensures the availability of fresh and nutritious produce for local communities.
Boosting Food Security and Local Economy
Nigeria heavily relies on food imports to meet its growing demand for fresh produce. The dependence on imported produce leaves the country vulnerable to fluctuations in international food prices and supply chain disruptions.
Vertical farming presents a viable solution to reduce this reliance on imports by enabling local production of fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs in urban centers, particularly in areas where arable land is limited or unavailable. As of 2019, about 924,000 square metres of Nigeria’s arable land was lost to degradation daily. Vertical farming overcomes this limitation by utilizing vertical space in buildings and rooftops, effectively increasing the available growing area.
Vertical farms can also grow crops in multiple layers, optimizing space and maximizing yield per square meter. This efficient land use ensures that urban areas can produce more food locally, contributing to food security and reducing the need for long-distance transportation of perishable goods from rural to urban centers.
Additionally, vertical farming not only addresses food security but also generates employment opportunities in urban areas. The Labour Statistics Report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in Nigeria revealed that the unemployment rate reached 33.3% in the fourth quarter of 2020 from 27.1%.
However, a study conducted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) found that urban farming initiatives, including vertical farming, can have a significant positive impact on the local economy by creating jobs and generating income for the community.
The establishment and operation of vertical farms require a skilled workforce, including agricultural technicians, engineers, and agronomists. As vertical farming gains momentum, it can create jobs and stimulate economic growth in agriculture and related sectors. The availability of fresh produce from urban vertical farms can also support local businesses, such as restaurants, markets, and grocery stores. By sourcing locally grown produce, these businesses contribute to the development of a robust and resilient local food ecosystem, further boosting economic activities in urban centers.
Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The transportation of food from rural agricultural regions to urban consumption centers involves significant carbon emissions. Reports have shown that food transportation accounts for about 19% of the total carbon footprint of the global food system. The emissions arise from the use of fossil fuels in vehicles for transporting produce over long distances.
In Nigeria, a country with a rapidly growing urban population, the carbon emissions associated with food transportation are substantial. With most of the fresh produce being grown in rural areas, the need for transportation to deliver these perishable goods to urban centers leads to higher greenhouse gas emissions.
Vertical farming, as a proximity farming method, offers a potential solution to minimize carbon emissions associated with long-distance food transportation. For one, establishing vertical farms within or near urban centers ensures that fresh produce can be grown closer to the point of consumption. This significantly reduces the distance that food needs to travel, leading to a substantial reduction in carbon emissions from transportation.
Vertical farms also cut down on supply chain length, as produce can be harvested and delivered to consumers within the same city or nearby. Shorter supply chains result in fewer transportation-related emissions and a more energy-efficient food distribution system.
The Potential Impact of Vertical Farming on Nigeria’s Climate Goals
Vertical farming has the potential to significantly reduce Nigeria’s agricultural carbon footprint by minimizing greenhouse gas emissions associated with traditional farming practices and long transportation routes.
The adoption of vertical farming can also help build climate resilience in Nigeria’s agricultural sector by providing a sustainable and climate-resilient alternative to conventional farming.
Considering all this, vertical farming presents a promising climate change mitigation strategy for Nigeria, with the potential to enhance food security, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and promote sustainable agriculture. Local efforts to embrace vertical farming can lead the way for climate-resilient agriculture in urban centers and contribute to Nigeria’s climate goals.
As Nigeria seeks innovative solutions to combat climate change, vertical farming emerges as a beacon of hope for a sustainable and climate-resilient future.
