A factory that runs 24/7, all year round

ㆍAgriculture is now being conducted in vertical spaces instead of horizontal ones in order to mitigate the risk of climate change and to enhance productivity.

ㆍSouth Korea’s AGUNI utilizes vertical farming to exert pressure on plants in modules, prompting them to grow high-nutrient crops.

ㆍNow you can arrange the crops like buildings and automate their growth.

The days of horizontal are gone

It’s time to go vertical. Agriculture is innovating by using vertical farming, where farms are stacked on top of each other. Vertical farms, also known as indoor farms, have emerged as a method of growing crops indoors. Light, nutrients, and temperature are optimized for crop growth, and plants are grown in an automated, factory-like process. When we envision a farm, we no longer picture horizontal rows of crops spread out across a vast expanse of farmland in the countryside, but instead, we visualize a neatly organized, sterile room. One example of this is the GROWIDE system developed by South Korean ag-tech startup AGUNI, which utilizes modular vertical farming to grow crops in box-like shelves stacked vertically inside giant air domes. This approach is particularly useful for cultivating medical crops like hemp, as well as high-value plants such as Japanese horseradish and gastrodia.

Compress it!

The technology’s key element is air pressure. AGUNI has developed a proprietary technology that pressurizes water and air near the roots of crops. The air pressure is generated from the bottom of the module, creating a space using air. This setup allows for good air and water flow, increasing the soil’s ability to hold water and nutrients for longer periods. In other words, it gives the roots more time to absorb nutrients. Specifically, by directing air pressure upwards, it optimizes the microbial environment in the root zone, resulting in a uniform and rapid production of high-quality plant material and maximizing the content of functional substances. A prime example is “medical hemp“.

This is not a drug

The current Narcotics Control Act in South Korea prevents the industrialization of hemp. However, Aguni has been designated as an operator of the Industrial Hemp Regulatory Free Zone in Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea, allowing them to grow and produce hemp for medical use. Medical hemp refers to the use of cannabis-derived ingredients for medical purposes, with lower levels of THC (the hallucinogenic component of cannabis) and higher levels of CBD (cannabinoids). Aguni specializes in the production and research of medical hemp as a nutraceutical ingredient, using technology to extract high amounts of CBD. Their modular vertical farming method with air pressure enables faster root development and growth, about 30 percent faster than open field cultivation, and eliminates the need for chemical pesticides to control pests and weeds.

Which tower do you want to go?

AGUNI’s vertical farming system software connects to various sensors, including nutrient sensors, soil sensors, irrigation controllers, and air conditioners. ICT technology analyzes real-time data to control air pressure, LEDs, and issue commands. These processes are data-coded so crop-specific recipes can be built to analyze the growth mechanisms. Just as AGUNI grows medicinal crops and medical food in its modular vertical farming system, you can grow your own flavors and sell them later. If you want to create a “vegan eel steak” made by a 3D printer from plant-derived cells, simply stack the modules vertically, and you’ll have your own farm in no time. Of course, you’ll need a lot of 3D printers, but once your set-up, the automated ICT sensors will take care of the rest. The decoration of your tower is entirely up to you.