FoodBev – British agricultural technology company Innovation Agri-Tech (IAG) has launched the GrowFrame 360, an aeroponic precision growing technology.
The innovative vertical farming tech is the culmination of five years of R&D and has been designed with the aim of revolutionising how crops are produced globally, using 98% less water than conventional farming methods.
The patented GrowFrame system has been refined to result in a highly precise growing process and has been proven to produce a healthier root system and superior crop growth and yield, according to Innovation Agri-Tech.
The solution does not require sunlight and eliminates weather and seasonal dependency, allowing crops to be grown year-round anywhere in the world. IAG’s technology accelerates crop growth to up to 15 harvest cycles per year, compared with the three to four seen with traditional farming methods, with the equivalent of 10 acres of growing space housed within 135m2.
The system is fully automated and managed from a human machine interface (HMI) with real-time data monitoring, and the water used is cleaned using UV treatment and filters before going through the process again, eradicating waste. Additionally, the GrowFrame uses coco peat over soil, meaning no chemicals, pesticides or soil maintenance.
Innovation Agri-Tech CEO, Jaz Singh, said: “Having seen first-hand how arable land in India was depleted by traditional open-field farming, I truly believe that vertical farming will become an integral part of the way we grow food around the world and feed our increasing population”.
“We have complete faith that we have developed a vertical farming solution which will be a complete game-changer,” he added.
Offering a drought-resistant solution, IAG’s GrowFrame can be put to work in countries with minimal water supply, as well as in urban areas with limited space, to help tackle the challenges of world hunger and malnutrition.