# Vertical Farming Integration

Vertical farming is a cornerstone of LocalGreenChain's mission to create demand-driven, seasonal agriculture that reduces the global footprint of human consumption. This section covers everything you need to know about integrating vertical farms into the LocalGreenChain ecosystem.

## Why Vertical Farming?

### Environmental Benefits

| Metric | Traditional Farming | Vertical Farming | Improvement |
|--------|-------------------|------------------|-------------|
| Water Usage | 100% | 5-10% | 90-95% reduction |
| Land Required | 100% | 1-2% | 98% reduction |
| Pesticides | Variable | Zero | 100% elimination |
| Food Miles | 1,500+ avg | < 10 miles | 99% reduction |
| Growing Season | Seasonal | Year-round | 365 days/year |
| Yield/sqm/year | 3-5 kg | 50-100 kg | 10-20x increase |

### Demand-Driven Production

Vertical farms enable true demand-driven agriculture:

```
Consumer Demand Signal → Planting Decision → Harvest → Delivery
       Day 0                  Day 1            Day 35     Day 35

Traditional: 6-12 months planning horizon
Vertical:    1-6 weeks from signal to delivery
```

## Architecture Overview

```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                    VERTICAL FARM ECOSYSTEM                          │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                                     │
│  ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐  │
│  │                    LOCALGREENCHAIN PLATFORM                  │  │
│  │  ┌───────────┐  ┌───────────┐  ┌───────────┐              │  │
│  │  │  Demand   │  │ Transport │  │ Blockchain │              │  │
│  │  │ Forecaster│  │  Tracker  │  │   Ledger   │              │  │
│  │  └─────┬─────┘  └─────┬─────┘  └─────┬─────┘              │  │
│  └────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼───────────────────────┘  │
│           │              │              │                           │
│           ▼              ▼              ▼                           │
│  ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐  │
│  │                 VERTICAL FARM CONTROLLER                     │  │
│  │  ┌───────────┐  ┌───────────┐  ┌───────────┐  ┌──────────┐│  │
│  │  │Environment│  │ Nutrition │  │  Lighting │  │Automation ││  │
│  │  │  Control  │  │  System   │  │  System   │  │  System   ││  │
│  │  └─────┬─────┘  └─────┬─────┘  └─────┬─────┘  └────┬─────┘│  │
│  └────────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼─────────────┼────────┘  │
│           │              │              │             │            │
│           ▼              ▼              ▼             ▼            │
│  ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐  │
│  │                    GROWING ZONES                             │  │
│  │  ┌─────────┐  ┌─────────┐  ┌─────────┐  ┌─────────┐       │  │
│  │  │ Zone A  │  │ Zone B  │  │ Zone C  │  │ Zone D  │       │  │
│  │  │Lettuce  │  │  Basil  │  │Microgrns│  │Tomatoes │       │  │
│  │  │Day 15/35│  │Day 20/42│  │Day 8/14 │  │Day 45/80│       │  │
│  │  └─────────┘  └─────────┘  └─────────┘  └─────────┘       │  │
│  └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘  │
│                                                                     │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```

## Growing Systems

### NFT (Nutrient Film Technique)

Best for: Leafy greens, herbs
- Thin film of nutrients flows over roots
- Low water usage
- Fast growth cycles

### DWC (Deep Water Culture)

Best for: Lettuce, basil, larger plants
- Roots suspended in aerated nutrient solution
- Simple to maintain
- Excellent oxygenation

### Aeroponics

Best for: High-value crops, root vegetables
- Roots misted with nutrients
- Maximum oxygen exposure
- Fastest growth rates

### Vertical Towers/ZipGrow

Best for: Microgreens, leafy greens, strawberries
- Space-efficient vertical growing
- Easy harvest access
- Modular expansion

## Environmental Control

### Temperature Management

```typescript
interface TemperatureControl {
  // Day/night differential is crucial
  dayTarget: 22; // °C
  nightTarget: 18; // °C

  // Acceptable ranges
  minCritical: 10; // Below this: growth stops
  maxCritical: 35; // Above this: heat stress

  // Control systems
  cooling: ['HVAC', 'evaporative', 'chilled_water'];
  heating: ['heat_pump', 'radiant', 'air_handling'];
}
```

### Humidity Control

- **Seedling Stage**: 80-90% RH
- **Vegetative Stage**: 60-70% RH
- **Flowering/Fruiting**: 50-60% RH
- **Pre-Harvest**: 40-50% RH (reduces disease risk)

### CO2 Enrichment

```
Ambient CO2:      ~420 ppm
Optimal Growth:   800-1200 ppm
Maximum Benefit:  1500 ppm

Warning: Above 1500 ppm provides diminishing returns
         and increases operational costs
```

### Lighting

| Stage | PPFD (µmol/m²/s) | DLI (mol/m²/day) | Hours |
|-------|-----------------|------------------|-------|
| Germination | 100-150 | 4-6 | 16-18 |
| Seedling | 150-250 | 8-12 | 18 |
| Vegetative | 250-400 | 15-25 | 16-18 |
| Flowering | 400-600 | 25-40 | 12-16 |

## Growing Recipes

LocalGreenChain includes pre-configured growing recipes for common crops:

### Lettuce (35-day cycle)
```yaml
Recipe: Butterhead Lettuce - Fast Cycle
Stages:
  - Germination (Day 0-3): 150 PPFD, 80% RH, EC 0.8
  - Seedling (Day 4-10): 200 PPFD, 70% RH, EC 1.2
  - Vegetative (Day 11-28): 300 PPFD, 65% RH, EC 1.6
  - Finishing (Day 29-35): 250 PPFD, 60% RH, EC 1.2
Expected Yield: 180g per head
Yield/sqm/year: 4000g (11+ cycles)
```

### Basil (42-day cycle)
```yaml
Recipe: Genovese Basil - Aromatic
Stages:
  - Germination (Day 0-5): 100 PPFD, 80% RH, EC 0.6
  - Seedling (Day 6-14): 200 PPFD, 70% RH, EC 1.0
  - Vegetative (Day 15-35): 400 PPFD, 65% RH, EC 1.4
  - Harvest Ready (Day 36-42): 350 PPFD, 60% RH, EC 1.0
Expected Yield: 120g per plant
Yield/sqm/year: 2400g (8+ cycles)
```

### Microgreens (14-day cycle)
```yaml
Recipe: Microgreens Mix - Quick Turn
Stages:
  - Sowing (Day 0-2): Dark, 90% RH
  - Germination (Day 3-5): 100 PPFD, 80% RH
  - Growth (Day 6-12): 250 PPFD, 65% RH, EC 0.8
  - Harvest (Day 13-14): 200 PPFD, 60% RH
Expected Yield: 200g per tray
Yield/sqm/year: 2000g (26 cycles)
```

## Integration with LocalGreenChain

### Demand-Driven Planting

```typescript
// Example: Demand signal triggers planting
const demandSignal = demandForecaster.generateDemandSignal(
  lat, lon, radiusKm, regionName, season
);

// Find gaps in supply
const gaps = demandSignal.demandItems.filter(item => item.gapKg > 0);

// Start crop batches to fill gaps
for (const gap of gaps) {
  const recipe = findBestRecipe(gap.produceType);
  const batch = verticalFarmController.startCropBatch(
    farmId,
    availableZoneId,
    recipe.id,
    seedBatchId,
    calculatePlantCount(gap.gapKg, recipe.expectedYieldGrams)
  );
}
```

### Blockchain Recording

Every crop batch is recorded on the blockchain:

1. **Planting Event**: Seed batch origin, recipe used, zone assigned
2. **Environment Logs**: Daily readings stored for traceability
3. **Harvest Event**: Actual yield, quality grade, destination
4. **Transport**: Movement from farm to consumer

### Consumer Traceability

Consumers can scan a QR code to see:
- Which vertical farm grew their produce
- The exact growing recipe used
- All environmental conditions during growth
- Seed lineage and generation
- Carbon footprint of production

## Best Practices

### For Operators

1. **Start Small**: Begin with easy crops (lettuce, microgreens)
2. **Standardize Recipes**: Use proven recipes before experimenting
3. **Monitor Closely**: Environmental data is your best friend
4. **Maintain Equipment**: Preventive maintenance prevents crop loss
5. **Track Everything**: Data enables optimization

### For Integration

1. **Register Farm**: Add your facility to LocalGreenChain
2. **Configure Zones**: Set up growing areas with sensor integration
3. **Import Recipes**: Use community recipes or create custom ones
4. **Connect Demand**: Link to regional demand signals
5. **Record Everything**: Let the blockchain track your success

## API Reference

See [Vertical Farming API](../api/vertical-farming-api.md) for complete API documentation.

### Key Endpoints

```http
POST /api/vertical-farm/register
POST /api/vertical-farm/zone/create
POST /api/vertical-farm/batch/start
PUT  /api/vertical-farm/batch/:id/environment
POST /api/vertical-farm/batch/:id/harvest
GET  /api/vertical-farm/:id/analytics
GET  /api/vertical-farm/recipes
```

## Resource Efficiency

### Energy Optimization

- **LED Lighting**: 2.5-3.0 µmol/J efficacy
- **Climate Control**: Heat pump systems
- **Renewable Integration**: Solar/wind compatible
- **Off-Peak Operation**: Shift energy-intensive tasks

### Water Conservation

- **Recirculating Systems**: 95%+ water reuse
- **Condensate Recovery**: Capture HVAC moisture
- **Rainwater Harvesting**: Supplement fresh water
- **Quality Monitoring**: Prevent nutrient lockout

## Scaling Considerations

### Small Scale (< 1,000 sqm)
- Single facility management
- Manual/semi-automated
- 5-10 crop varieties
- Local market focus

### Medium Scale (1,000-10,000 sqm)
- Multi-zone automation
- Recipe optimization
- 20-30 crop varieties
- Regional distribution

### Large Scale (> 10,000 sqm)
- Full automation
- AI-driven optimization
- 50+ crop varieties
- Multi-region supply
- Integration with multiple demand centers

## Future Development

- **AI Optimization**: Machine learning for recipe improvement
- **Robotic Harvesting**: Fully automated crop handling
- **Genetic Tracking**: DNA verification of plant lineage
- **Carbon Credits**: Earn credits for sustainable production
- **Community Recipes**: Share and rate growing recipes