Smart vertical farming: a sustainable model for the resilience of urban food systems in Colombia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26507/paper.4525Keywords:
smart vertical farming, automation, internet of things, urban sustainability, food safetyAbstract
This research develops a model of intelligent and automated vertical agriculture for the city of Cali, Colombia, as a response to the challenges of food security, resource efficiency and urban sustainability. Using a mixed-methods approach that combines a systematic literature review, expert interviews, and mathematical modeling, the technical and agronomic requirements for implementing these systems in the Colombian context have been identified. The study establishes specific technical pre-dimensioning for Cali, evaluating parameters such as energy efficiency, water resource use, and crop yields through simulations that allowed the optimization of automated control systems based on IoT, real-time data analytics, and machine learning algorithms. The results show that despite the high initial investment, the integration of automation and environmental control technologies with energy efficiency strategies allows the development of technically and economically viable systems. Mathematical modeling shows that the production of 100 tons of biomass per year requires approximately 1.5 million kWh of electricity, a challenge that can be mitigated by implementing renewable energy and LED lighting systems optimized for photosynthesis. The applied multi-criteria analysis comprehensively evaluates technical, financial, social and environmental aspects, ensuring the viability and sustainability of the proposed model. The relevance of this research lies in its contribution to the transformation of urban food systems through technological solutions that respond to multiple Sustainable Development Goals, including responsible production and consumption, sustainable cities, and climate action.
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Fuentes electrónicas
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