We have come a long way from relying on traditional growing systems for food production. Nowadays, depending solely on Traditional methods of growing our food in open fields has a lot of risk involved which mainly includes; a decrease in food availability and access; due to changes in the climate and other environmental factors. Hydroponics provides an opportunity for people to have access to food all year round because it can be done indoors in a controlled environment.

What is Hydroponics? 

Hydroponics is a method of growing food using a water based solution that is rich in nutrients without soil. However, hydroponic uses organic growing mediums like rock wool and Perlite to support the plant. One major advantage of this growing system is that it allows the roots of the plants to have direct contact with the nutrients in the water based solution which makes it easier for the plant to absorb all the nutrients it needs to grow well. 

What are the Benefits of Hydroponics? 

Faster Growth and Greater Yield 

Hydroponic Plants grow faster than plants grown using traditional farming methods, the produce is also of greater quality and greater yield. This is because the plants have direct and constant access to adequate nutrients that they need to grow and flourish.

Cost Efficient

Hydroponic plants use less water compared to plants grown on the field. This is because the hydroponic system is an enclosed system, which makes it easier to conserve water. The enclosed system also ensures that less nutrients are are required for plant growth because there is no competition with weeds. Labour cost is also reduced because of the automated system which saves a lot of time. 

Controlled Environment 

Growing your food in an indoor controlled environment will ensure that you have access to food all year round. Using the hydroponic system to grow your food has a lot of benefits. First off, there are fewer pests, no weeds, less diseases, no exposure to excessively high temperatures, wind, excessive rainfall and pollution. Growing food vertically is also possible with the hydroponic system, which simply means that you will be able to maximize space and increase your yield.

Types of Hydroponics Systems 

Hydroponics is a complex system that requires different techniques to ensure that the plants absorb the nutrients that they need to grow and flourish. Four popular methods are outlined below: 

Deepwater Culture 

Deepwater culture is one of the easiest methods used in a hydroponic system. The roots of the plants are placed directly in contact with the nutrient solution and growers use an aquarium air pump to provide oxygen to the plants. 

Ebb & Flow 

This technique involves less water because the growing area is flooded at specific intervals using a timer. After the area is flooded the nutrient solution drains back to the nutrient reservoir. 

Wicking 

Wicking is the most cost-efficient method. The plants access their nutrient using a wick which is suspended in the reservoir of nutrient solution. Cotton materials are often used as the wick to slowly absorb and transfer the nutrients to the plants. 

Drip System 

The drip system involves a slow distribution of nutrients to the plants using a gradual draining medium like coconut coir, peat moss or rock wool. A drip irrigation system that contains a nutrient rich solution is used to irrigate the growing medium at different intervals. 

 >Click here and Buy your Hydroponic growing kit from Amazon

What are the Best plants to grow hydroponically? 

You can grow your vegetables, herbs and some fruits hydroponically. Some of the best plants to grow with this method include: Basil, lettuce, strawberries, tomatoes, spinach, pakchoi, Cabbage, cucumbers and much more.  

> Click here and buy your Organic Seeds from Amazon 

Steps on How to Begin your Hydroponic farming System

Location 

You need to decide on where you would like to set up your hydroponic system. You can consider a greenhouse, Warehouse or any other empty space in your house or elsewhere. 

Water 

You need to have access to fresh water to run your hydroponic system. This system depends on water not soil so you need to ensure that you have constant supply of water. 

Nutrients 

You need to decide on nutrients, there are organic and inorganic nutrients used by different growers. However, Organic nutrients are highly recommended for safer and more nutritious produce. 

> Click here and Buy your Hydroponic Organic Fertilizer from Amazon

Light 

You need to have access to light especially when you are using a location that does not have access to sufficient natural light. 

Root Support and Oxygen 

Plant roots will need sufficient oxygen and root support depending on the method that is used. For instance, if you decide to use the deepwater culture method of hydroponics; then you will need an aquarium pump to oxygenate the roots of the plants.   

Other Important things to consider before you start growing with Hydroponics

 •Hydroponics system is not always the best growing method for all vegetables and Herbs.
 •The setup of the system can be expensive especially if it involves a greenhouse
 •Growers need to be mindful of how the control their nutrient input and PH levels.  

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Agritecture

This is  a concept of integrating urban farming into the urban fabric. It involves the production of food on the vertical and horizontal landscape in cities to promote food security. There are various ways and techniques  invloved in acheiving food security using the concept of Agritecture, regardless of the space that is available, you can still grow your food using a technique that will suit your situation. Some of the techniques include growing food in containers, green houses, indoors, roof top, Terrace, facade, hedge, Courtyards and lawns.

 
Agritecture can also be practiced in Hospitals, Schools, Offices, Supermarkets, Restaurants and whithin public spaces in the city. It is important to shorten the food chain to ensure that we have access to fresh and readily available nutritious supply of food that is grown within our surrounding; this will also ensure that we are eating food that is safe.

You can start by growing your food indoors using the hydroponic system which you can easily purchase from Amazon using the link below:

> Click here and Buy your hydroponic growing Kit

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Regardless of our backgrounds, we are first off human beings with a responsibility to take care of each other and our environment to ensure a sustainable future. "A sustainable community is one that is economically, socially and environmentally healthy and resilient. It faces challenges through integrated solutions rather than through fragmented approaches that meet one of those goals at the expense of the others".
It is important to take responsibility for our food security, especially with the current rise in the cost of living, all over the world due to economic instability. Supermarket are becoming empty in some parts  of the world, farmers are suffering from great losses due to finanicial and climatic conditions which are affecting food availability. It is time to equip ourselves with the basic knowledge on how to grow our food in our homes; especially fruits, Vegetables and herbs which supply us with high levels of nutrition. Purchase your seeds and gardening tools and lets get to work!

> Click Here and buy your Organic Seeds from Amazon

> Click Here and buy your Gardening Tools from Amazon

> Click here and Buy your Gardening Books from Amazon

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Designed by Jessica Gerna- Proposed Yam processing factory 

During my masters Program in Architecture, I did a study that focused on how to achieve socially sustainable developments in rural areas. The aim was to highlight the role of architecture in enhancing socially sustainable development, ensuring that the essence and identity of the rural communities in the context areas- Benue state Nigeria are preserved. The objective was to enlighten local farmers about regenerative farming systems that can transform their agricultural practices and provide them with social inclusion, to promote sustainable community resource management, to enhance a sense of community and ownership among the locales within the context area in Makurdi-Benue state and to identify appropriate sustainable architectural design strategies that can be used in the context area to achieve a sustainable rural development.The methodology used was qualitative research. Relevant data from literature and case studies where sourced and analysed. The essence of the context area was also identified during the site analysis. The study highlights that in other to achieve a sustainable rural development, a community has to manage its, natural, human and financial resources to meet present needs while ensuring that adequate resources are equitably available for future generations, a better quality of life for the whole community without compromising the wellbeing of other communities, healthy ecosystems, effective governance supported by meaningful and broad-based citizen participation and economic security. In conclusion the study highlights the concept of co-operativism and partnership as the stepping stone for rural sustainable development. From the data gathered during the site analysis appropriate concepts for a socially, economic and environmentally sustainable rural development are illustrated and implemented using suitable architectural sustainable design strategies for a food processing and recycling factory. 

Faced with a decision, in the winter of 2014, to choose a topic for my thesis as a postgraduate student pursuing a masters degree in Architecture at the University Of Lincoln, UK , all I could think of was “Food Security”. Seemed weird to some, but I remembered my childhood, growing up with parents who where both professionals in their fields but also intentionally practiced agriculture because they had access to the available resources and they understood the importance of food security. Unfortunately the culture of people around the world in regards to growing our own food has changed. Vegetable and fruit gardens have gradually disappeared, Climate change and sociopolitical crises has caused a great reduction in food production. Globalization has also increased the disappearance of local identity in rural communities across Africa and the world.I would like to contribute to combating the problem of Food security using the skills I have as an Architect. I have also gained more skills in the area of Food Security, to be able to carry out strategic interventions appropriate for a particular context. Please Join me on this journey and we will work together to ensure that we have social, economic, and physical access to safe and nutritious food at all times in other to live active and healthy lives.
Let us see our diverse skills as an advantage and ask ourselves how we can approach this problem of Food insecurity that threatens us all, from different angles, working with one mind and one sense of purpose to arrive at the same result.