Definition

• It is a knowledge-based agricultural system that use technology to increase value and quality of farm's produce.
• Mostly found around densely populated urban areas

Characteristics

• Requires lots of capital inputs
• Have buildings to create conditions ideal for plant growth
• Daily operations carried out in or under controlled conditions

Purpose

• It enables maximum output on a small plot of land and is thus particularly important in countries with high population density and limited land area.
• Crops produced from high-tech farms help to reduce the dependence on the food imported from other countries.

Input

• 

           Land. Very little land is required as crops are grown closer together in high – tech farms. Sufficient amounts of nutrients can be delivered and distributed evenly to the crops at regular intervals.
  
  
  ·         Capital. Due to the use of the 
      latest technology, farm chemicals   and investments in research and development, high – tech farms
      require huge capital.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ·         Labour. High – tech farms are highly mechanized. This reduces the need for human labour.
  
  

Output

• High quality produce
• High profit and sales

Benefits

• More land and water conserved
• Less fertilizers and pesticides used
• Overproduction and wastage of resources minimized
• Less fuel used because crops need not be transported over long distance
• Minimize wastage of resources 

Challenges faced by the countries

• High-tech farming requires high capital input.
• There will be a shortage of land for farming.

High-tech farming

Hydroponics 

-from the Greek words hydro (water) and ponos (labour), a method of growing plants using mineral.
- is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water and without soil.
-Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution only or in an inert medium, such as perlite, gravel, mineral wool or coconut husk.


Advantages


-No soil is needed
-The water stays in the system and can be reused - thus, lower water costs
-It is possible to control the nutrition levels in their entirely - thus, lower nutrition costs
-No nutrition pollution is released into the environment because of the controlled system
-Stable and high yields
-Pests and diseases are easier to get rid of than in soil because of the container's mobility.


Disadvantages


-The hydroponic conditions (presence of fertilizer and high humidity) create an environment that stimulates salmonella growth. 
-Other disadvantages include pathogen attacks such as damp-off due to Verticillium wilt caused by the high moisture levels associated with hydroponics and over watering of soil based plants. 
-Many hydroponic plants require different fertilizers and containment systems.

Why and Where?

Why we have it in SG???

• To be stored for emergencies
• Feed the population when imported food is stopped

Where in SG?

• Murai
• Lim Chu Kang
• Sungei Tengah