Midbar: Innovation leader
AirFarm allows for farming in areas without healthy soil, water
--Photo courtesy of Midbar <br> Described as the world’s first inflatable farm, AirFarm was named a CES 2024 Best of Innovation Honoree, the second time it’s earned that honor. It’s a technological tool that allows for cultivation with minimal water.
-Photo courtesy of Midbar <br> AirFarm comes in two sizes — a 10-foot model that is primarily used for education, research and home use, and a 20-foot Airfarm that can create a large yield if someone plans to sell the crops.
--Photo courtesy of Midbar <br> Described as the world’s first inflatable farm, AirFarm was named a CES 2024 Best of Innovation Honoree, the second time it’s earned that honor. It’s a technological tool that allows for cultivation with minimal water.
-Photo courtesy of Midbar <br> AirFarm comes in two sizes — a 10-foot model that is primarily used for education, research and home use, and a 20-foot Airfarm that can create a large yield if someone plans to sell the crops.
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Growing fresh, local produce in areas without healthy water sources or fertile soil can seem impossible, until now -- with AirFarm.
Described as the world's first inflatable farm, AirFarm was named a CES 2024 Best of Innovation Honoree, the second time it's earned that honor. It's a technological tool that allows for cultivation with minimal water.
Developed by Midbar, AirFarm comes in two sizes and has been sold primarily in countries like Korea, Japan, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.
"While we haven't made sales in the U.S. yet, we are actively exploring opportunities there," said Jenna Kim, business manager at Midbar.
Company leaders have shared that the business name, Midbar, means desert in Hebrew. Jordan happens to be one of the most water-scarce countries in the world. The high sodium concentration in the ground water there also makes it unsuitable for agricultural uses.
So Midbar rolled out the AirFarm in Mafraq, where farming efforts have been virtually impossible. The refugees there were trained to operate AirFarm systems, which brought them gainful employment and allowed them to grow fresh produce for local residents who had limited access to such food.
"AirFarm, as a scalable indoor farm, is designed to grow a wide range of crops, including leafy greens, root vegetables like carrots, seed potatoes and herbs. However, large fruit-bearing trees and crops with extensive root systems are less suited for our system," Kim told Farm News.
AirFarm comes in two sizes -- a 10-foot model that is primarily used for education, research and home use, and a 20-foot Airfarm that can create a large yield if someone plans to sell the crops.
AirFarm units also have been installed at Al al-Bayt University in Mafraq, Jordan, in collaboration with KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency). The aeroponic container is described as quick and easy to install. The lightweight system also doesn't need heavy steel frames like greenhouses.
"We have successfully made our journey to the UAE, and they have successfully grown leafy greens in there," Kim said. "They're using it in school cafeterias to provide salads. We have installed units in Japan."
AirFarm converts moisture from the air into water in real-time. It recirculates the moisture produced by crops back to the roots, making it the world's first farm that operates without water infrastructure. Midbar touts AirFarm as using 99 percent less water than conventional farming, 90 percent less water than a traditional hydroponics system, offers 10 times the productivity that conventional farming does and only takes half a day to set up. Fertilizer usage is reduced by 60 percent and pesticide usage by 100 percent, all while crop yields are maximized, the company stated.
AirFarm's micro mist aeroponic system offers advantages over other hydroponic systems by allowing for the cultivation of various crop types, including root vegetables like seed potatoes and carrots, as well as leafy greens and fruits.
The smart farming system also is data driven and pairs with a smartphone app. From EC and pH levels to temperature, humidity and VPD, all essential factors for cultivation are integrated into a single application monitored from a smartphone.
Instead of a few cycles per year, the AirFarm allows a farmer to grow and harvest dozens of times per year because seasons don't matter inside the Airfarm. It creates whatever season is needed for a particular crop at any time of the year.