Hydroponics Startup Looking To Decentralize The Food Supply Chain

doitvoluntarily (75) in news •  January 5, 2018

In 2016, it's estimated that the global hydroponic market was worth more than $230 million.

It's anticipated that the global market will surpass $395 million by 2020. Though there are some estimates that place the market value much higher, suggesting that it could reach more than $13 billion by 2025.

The hydroponics approach is expected to keep on growing because it provides farmers with more control over the growing process.

Not only that, but it also provides a host of benefits such as using less water, taking up less space, and helping to protect against pests, producing higher yields than traditional methods, and so on. However, some critics of the method suggest that the produce is inferior to traditional methods as far as quality and nutrients because of the way that it's grown.

The global hydroponics market is expected to grow over 6.4 percent over the next decade.

A number of different crops are able to be grown with hydroponic growing methods and they are things like cucumbers, peppers, lettuce, strawberries, and more.

Right now, Europe is said to have the largest hydroponics market, making up roughly 36.44 percent.

They are followed by the Asia Pacific region that makes the 2nd largest market in terms of revenue. Following in 3rd place is the North American market and although they might be 3rd right now, they've got the fastest growing market.

There are a variety of companies already in this space and a great deal of different hydroponic growing projects that are taking place around the world. You've got dozens of crops being grown with this method in greenhouses, in shipping containers, in backyards, and a variety of different growing spaces.

One entrepreneur who is interested in this growing method, Jonathan Partlow, spent about 5 years working on his design for a hydroponic growing system that would help to decentralize the food supply chain. He wanted to provide people with a growing medium and something that could easily work in a variety of different spaces both big and small.

Eventually, he came up with Aggressively Organic.

This company offers pint-sized hydroponics that makes it easy for people to have fresh and quality produce available right in the convenience of their own home. Partlow came up with the micro growth system you can see below.

The growing system consists of a glueless corrugated box that has a plastic liner, coco coir disc, and comes with some nutrient solution mix.

They've already shipped these mini growing systems to some farmers in a beta group and they are also looking to use the product to provide humanitarian relief to areas that are struggling with food insecurity.

One of their recent humanitarian efforts included working to get the Aggressively Organic mini growing systems to Puerto Rico. For that effort, they've set up a crowdfunding page to try and raise funds (trying to raise about $500k) to bring about 50,000 systems to the island.

With their mini design, the plan is for you to cut and take the produce when you need it.

You harvest whenever you are hungry, and when you've got dozens of different ones growing at one time it makes preparing a decent snack or meal fairly easy. Vegetables and herbs grown could be harvested within 21- 60 days; depending on what you're growing.

Partlow says that this growing method can produce lettuce using only an eighth to a quarter-gallon of water, compared to traditional growing methods which might use 3 gallons or more when trying to grow a head of lettuce. And the Micro Growth Systems are expected to retail for around $20 US and the only thing the user needs to provide is light and water.

At the moment their patent is still pending and the product is still in manufacturing, those interested can sign up on their site to try and become a beta grower.

Their system claims to be able to grow more lettuce in a 10 x 10 room than a traditional organic farm might be able to grow with a half acre of land.

Aggressively Organic is based in Indiana and they hope with their business that they'll be able to bring more than 200 jobs to the area by 2021.

Pics:
Pixabay
via GreenandVibrant.com
Twitter/Aggressively Organic

Sources:
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171206006224/en/Global-Hydroponics-Market-Report-2017-2023-Market-expected
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hydroponics-market-2020-forecasts-168-cagr-with-hvac-holding-largest-share-569069051.html
http://www.freshplaza.com/article/186162/Aggressively-Organic-relief-packages-helping-Puerto-Rico-regrow-after-Hurricane-Maria
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160811005565/en/Global-Hydroponics-Market-2015-2020---Market-anticipated
https://aggressivelyorganic.com/
http://www.gardencentermag.com/article/pint-size-hydroponics/
https://www.scalarmarketresearch.com/market-reports/hydroponics-market
http://www.freshplaza.com/article/186162/Aggressively-Organic-relief-packages-helping-Puerto-Rico-regrow-after-Hurricane-Maria
https://humanityproject.com/projects/aggressively-organic-relief-for-puerto-rico/
http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/story/37020852/fishers-ag-startup-launches-campaign-for-puerto-rico