Mexican company Verde Compacto is at the forefront of localized food cultivation with its Huvster Pro, a 40-foot container vertical farm designed for year-round fresh produce. This innovative system is being deployed in diverse settings, including stadiums and educational institutions, providing a sustainable and accessible food source. The Huvster Pro is engineered for efficiency, utilizing significantly less water and energy per kilogram of harvested produce compared to traditional agriculture.
The system's intelligent core is the integrated Eden Smart Control, which meticulously monitors and optimizes all growing conditions. This advanced technology not only offers crucial agronomic recommendations but also enables remote performance tracking for peak operational efficiency. This emphasis on data-driven insights highlights a broader trend in modern agriculture towards precision and informed decision-making.
Verde Compacto further supports its clients through a unique Farming-as-a-Service (FAAS) model. This offering allows Verde Compacto to manage the vertical farms on behalf of clients, providing comprehensive support and expertise. This model democratizes access to advanced farming technology, enabling a wider range of organizations to benefit from local food production without requiring extensive in-house agricultural knowledge. This approach enhances community resilience by significantly reducing the distance food travels from farm to table.
Vertical farming, as exemplified by the Huvster Pro, offers substantial environmental benefits. These systems can use up to 98% less water than traditional agriculture through closed-loop water recycling and require significantly less land due to their vertical stacking capabilities. By localizing food production, these farms drastically cut down on transportation emissions, contributing to a reduced carbon footprint. The controlled environment also minimizes the need for pesticides, resulting in cleaner produce and a healthier ecosystem. Container farms like the Huvster Pro are particularly adept at maximizing space, with some systems capable of producing up to five times their footprint through vertical stacking.
The Huvster Pro systems operate with daily inputs of approximately 65 liters of water and 190 kWh of energy. Depending on the crop, yields can reach around 100 kg of full-head lettuce or 50 kg of basil per week. Input efficiency can range from 3.8 to 29.6 kWh per kilogram and 3.8 to 10 liters per kilogram, showcasing remarkable resource optimization. The Eden Smart Control platform collects data across its network, enabling continuous learning and improvement for all growers, fostering a shared ecosystem of agricultural knowledge and driving innovation.
The integration of these systems into various locations, such as the Estadio Akron, demonstrates a forward-thinking approach to food security and sustainability, transforming urban spaces into productive agricultural hubs. Verde Compacto's commitment extends to providing ongoing support, with reported figures of approximately 100 kg/week for full-head lettuce and 50 kg/week for basil, backed by farm support to optimize production and yields.