Kumari, Priyanshi and Abdul Kareem, Razia Sulthana ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5331-1310 (2026) Empowering sustainable vertical farming through IoT and AI-driven technologies: a technical blueprint with insights from the UK and India. Ecological Informatics. ISSN 1574-9541 (Print), 1878-0512 (Online) (In Press)

Preview

PDF (Author's Accepted Manuscript) 54764 KAREEM_Empowering_Sustainable_Vertical_Farming_Through_IoT_(AAM)_2026.pdf - Accepted Version Download (2MB) | Preview

Abstract

Rapid urbanisation and shrinking arable land have necessitated the exploration of alternative agricultural paradigms to ensure food security under space and resource constraints. Conventional ground- based agriculture is challenged by population growth and climate uncertainty, accelerating the need for alternatives, including controlled cultivation technologies. The study aims to create a roadmap for next-generation vertical farming systems and bridge the gap between technology and policies by providing a technical blueprint that supports scalable and sustainable agricultural transformation. The pillars around which the paper is structured are i) Infrastructure & Systems: A detailed analysis of hydroponic, aeroponic, aquaponic, and hybrid technologies, analysing their operational parameters, environmental requirements, and sustainability metrics (ii) Digital Integration using IoT and AI: An architectural breakdown of multilayered IoT frameworks, integrating sensor networks, robotics, and automation with advanced Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Digital Twin technologies for precise environmental control (iii) policy and techno-economic frameworks: A comparative analysis of the UK and Indian landscapes, assessing how their respective regulatory frameworks, energy infrastructures, and market structures can be harmonised to support large- scale adoption. A comparative techno-economic and policy analysis of vertical farming adoption in the United Kingdom and India is presented, considering climatic conditions, energy infrastructure, market structures, and regulatory frameworks. It also integrates UK’s high-tech agricultural innovation with India’s massive scale and policy frameworks to develop an adaptable, sustainable solution. The paper also proposes a next-generation cyber–physical vertical Farming architecture and outlines the policy roadmaps that must be rolled out to support scalable, resilient, and climate-adaptive agricultural systems.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	vertical farming, IoT, Artificial Intelligence, controlled environment agriculture, precision farming
Subjects:	Q Science > Q Science (General) Q Science > QA Mathematics > QA75 Electronic computers. Computer science S Agriculture > S Agriculture (General) T Technology > T Technology (General)
Faculty / School / Research Centre / Research Group:	Faculty of Engineering & Science Faculty of Engineering & Science > School of Computing & Mathematical Sciences (CMS)
Last Modified:	19 Oct 2026 15:38
URI:	https://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/54764

Actions (login required)

View Item

Downloads