Undoubtedly, agriculture is one of the most fundamental industries on our planet. It provides food, fuel, and raw materials for a growing human population. Much of modern society would cease to exist without it. However, as the demands of this booming global population continue to increase, traditional farming methods will become increasingly unsustainable. For this reason, many experts predict that the future of agriculture lies in autonomous systems and indoor growing techniques. Agri-tech startup HerbiaEra offers a turnkey solution with their substrate that helps grow a greater variety of plants. 

In the last 40 years, the planet has lost 1/3 of its arable land, and indoor and autonomous agriculture is essential to support the evolution of the world population. The substrate created by HerbiaEra simplifies and optimizes indoor growing by ensuring optimal plant growth. 

Passive Hydroponic System 

The prefabricated smart substrate block has a special composition and properties which allow the perfect amount of water, air, and nutrients to be delivered to the plant uniformly. This autoregulated control mechanism is based on a passive hydroponics system. It was designed to maximize growth and eliminate the maintenance requirements of conventional growing methods, which can be costly. Therefore, no pumps, valves, motors, or electrical power is needed. 

Prefabricated Smart Substrate 

Herbiaera’s patented prefabricated smart substrate allows for the growth of a wider diversity of plants than the current industrial plant growing systems. These prefabricated smart substrates are an essential tool for growing various plants. These substrates provide the support and nutrients that plants need to thrive, allowing them to grow in various conditions. Furthermore, they offer advantages over current industrial systems, which are often limited in the types and varieties of plants they can support.

The prefabricated smart substrates by HerbiaEra have been specifically designed to promote plant growth. Unlike typical industrial growing systems, which tend to be dominated by a single species of plant or type of soil bed, these substrates can support a wide diversity of plants with different growth needs and requirements. This flexibility makes them ideal commercial farms. Especially for farms that want to experiment with new crops or tend to a diverse range of carefully selected flowers or herbs.

Standard systems often require the installation of special equipment or engineering expertise. However, these substrates can be smoothly integrated into existing facilities without major changes or costly renovations. Therefore they are perfect for both indoor spaces designed for year-round crop production. Their combination of flexibility and efficiency represents the future of industrial gardening as we know it today.

Substrate Development

The prefabricated smart substrate is an advanced physicochemical composition that has been designed after four years of research and development with the biomaterial research center Biopterre. This innovative substrate composition already contains all the seeds and nutrients required for optimal and reliable plant development. HerbiaEra’s passive hydroponic irrigation system can perfectly manage water and oxygen supply to maximize plant growth and reduce hydric stress with very high reliability. 

In addition, their Cloud-based IoT monitoring system can provide direct input to the farm operators. Furthermore, it can be easily connected to any existing greenhouse management system. Finally, the solid nature of this substrate makes it easy to handle and allows for robotic transport.

Why Autonomous Agriculture is the Future 

One major advantage of autonomous agriculture is that it can be done on a large scale. Moreover, it can be done with minimal input from human workers. Robots and AI algorithms can survey acres of land with remarkable precision and efficiency. Therefore, this will allow farmers to produce more food with fewer resources. High density, scaling, and stacking are key features that HerbiaEra focuses on. Additionally, hydroponics and indoor vertical farming advances allow crops to grow even in tough climates. As well as unconventional locations, ensuring access to fresh and healthy food year-round.

Ultimately, it is clear that the future of agriculture must focus on sustainable practices that can keep up with the rapidly changing needs of the world’s growing population. Whether through new technologies or traditional methods adapted for modern times, we must find a way to keep feeding ourselves for decades to come.