Urban Agriculture in Review: Hydroponics, Aeroponics, Aquaponics

Abstract

As the population of cities increases and food becomes less available, solutions are being sought to address these issues. Throughout history, the practice of urban agriculture has been the solution but today, it takes a more advanced form. Hydroponics, aeroponics, and aquaponics are the leading systems in soilless urban agriculture and may help solve these problems with the use of advanced automation, sensors, AI, and other technology. This review discusses each system's advantages and disadvantages, comparing them using four main criteria: control, stability, yield, and scalability. It also considers the scenarios in which each system is best optimized for use. Despite hydroponics, aeroponics, and aquaponics utilizing many similar technologies, several factors set them apart, making it hard to determine an overall "best" system; each instead serves a unique purpose based on differing requirements and needs.