There is a pressing need for the UK to increase its capacity for domestic food production.While the nation does have a highly successful agricultural industry, contributing £13.7 billion to the UK economy in 2023, it is not yet self-sufficient. Now, the impacts of a rising population, sprawling urbanisation, and variable weather conditions due to climate change are all bringing the future of farming into sharp focus.
Sustainability
New technologies to support sustainable farming practices are already on the horizon, but there's more that needs to be done to help British farms and food businesses scale-up at pace and boost home-grown production. High-yield, low-resource practices will be key to building a selfsufficient future.
Two technologies are emerging as particularly key players: oxyfertigation and carbon dioxide (CO2) irrigation. Though not necessarily new techniques, both have a big role to play in promoting more efficient and higher crop yields.
Vertical farming
Oxyfertigation is used to promote healthy root systems, achieved by delivering oxygen directly to the root of a plant to encourage absorption, microbial activity and root respiration. This can result in higher yields, while also making more efficient use of resources such as water and nutrients.
What's of interest to the UK's farming sector is its role in supporting vertical farming and hydroponic systems (where crops are grown in soilless environments, with root systems confined to a small area), as methods to promote high-yield sustainable farming and climate resilient food production. The global vertical farming industry is expected to grow to US $50.1 billion (£37.5bn) by 2032, and could play an important role in easing the pressures of a growing population and urbanisation – in essence, the need to farm more with less space and fewer resources.
By adjusting oxygen levels to meet the specific needs of different crops and soil types, oxyfertigation can effectively enhance growing conditions to increase yield in soilless environments. With the right approach and support, optimising and maintaining these parameters can achieve long-term and consistent results, especially for high value crops in the UK such as berries, tomatoes and greens.
CO2 irrigation is a known irrigation technique which helps improve soil health. By introducing carbon dioxide into the irrigation water, it can improve nutrient uptake by reducing soil pH; enhance root growth and quality; and has positive effects on photosynthesis as well as plant hormones and enzyme balances – all of which helps increase crop yield.
Carbonic irrigation is particularly effective in controlled greenhouse environments and hydroponic systems where CO2 and irrigation levels can be closely monitored, but it can also be used in open crop systems and in arid environments where water efficiency is a concern. This makes it a vital tool in helping agricultural systems withstand the impacts of climate change, including unpredictable rainfall patterns which can help UK farmers adapt to fluctuating temperatures, heatwaves and droughts.
Today, CO2 irrigation is receiving renewed interest from industry, thanks to improvements in smart irrigation technology which have made it a more scalable option for smaller farms and businesses. It can also be a viable alternative to synthetic fertilizers and chemicals, helping improve nutrient uptake and overcome challenges to growing conditions. In the UK, this includes variable weather patterns, which have historically been a barrier to the year-round availability of home-grown fruit and vegetables.
Resilience
Both oxyfertigation and CO2 irrigation are reliable and proven techniques that can help the UK develop more resilient practices for sustainable food production. Effective use of these methods requires a good understanding of crop type, soil and growing conditions, and that's where the support of industry experts and supply chain partners will be key. The technology is already at our fingertips, and expert advice, research and development can help it go further.
Government subsidy schemes designed to support sustainable farming practices can help, too. Increasing accessibility and knowledge will be essential to support the transition to a high-yield, resource efficient future for agriculture, ultimately helping the UK boost its capacity for homegrown produce.
This article was first published at Farmers Guardian