Dr Foods Inc. (DRFS)

[The Northern Light]

When water scarcity affects the agriculture industry, the effects are not just felt regionally. Eight hundred fifty million people worldwide go to bed hungry already, which will only increase without a better solution to the current water-intensive agricultural process. Vertical farming, a process that allows farmers to grow produce year round in a controlled climate, has shown great promise to be the solution we’re looking for.

Vertical farming has grown into a $9 billion a year industry as technology continues to improve the way we grow our food. One technology in particular that elevates a vertical farming structure’s value is atmospheric water generation (AWG) — the production of water from humidity that’s already in the air by bringing it to dew point and filtering it for collection and consumption. This technology is both cost-effective and environmentally friendly, as it alleviates dependency on natural water resources because it forms a continuous water cycle within the structure. The humidity is collected and filtered into water, which is then used to nurture the plants, and in turn sent back into the atmosphere inside the structure where it is harvested again and again.

Pairing atmospheric water generation with a closed-loop structure creates a turnkey greenhouse solution that can control humidity and temperature within the structure while providing a clean water source for agricultural or consumption uses. This is an invaluable resource for many regions across the globe that struggle with water scarcity.