Tower Farms growing the future of farming

Harnessing their expertise in information and communications technology and telecommunications engineering, Kerrie-Anne Gray and her partner, John Mark Clayton, are transforming the way Jamaicans think about farming--all from the backyard of their Havendale, St Andrew home.

Driven by a passion for sustainable agriculture, the duo has pioneered a thriving aeroponic farming enterprise that showcases the future of food production. Aeroponic farming -- a soilless technique where plants grow with roots suspended in air and gently misted with nutrient-rich water -- has become their canvas for innovation. Since June 2023, their venture, Jamaica Tower Farms, has successfully operated a commercial-scale backyard farm, producing over 4,000 plants per cycle.

"The farming venture started with Scotch bonnet peppers cultivated on 100 towers arranged on a one-eighth-acre lot," Gray told JIS.

"After harvesting the peppers, we transitioned to planting leafy greens and scallions in the available spaces."

Gray noted that, unlike traditional soil-based farming, aeroponics allows for continuous planting without waiting for soil to rejuvenate between cycles.

On their backyard farm, Gray and Clayton grow a vibrant variety of high-quality crops, including several types of lettuce, cilantro, parsley, basil, scallion, tomatoes, sweet peppers, and Scotch bonnet peppers.

Some root vegetables, like carrots, potatoes, and ginger, remain outside the system's reach--but for most crops, aeroponics delivers produce that tastes just as good, if not better, than traditional methods.

Resilience is a hallmark of their approach. In a country where hurricanes and natural disasters threaten food security, the modular design of tower farming offers a remarkable advantage. Gray gave a striking example from Hurricane Melissa last October.

"During Hurricane Melissa, we were able to take up the towers, bring them on the inside, and then right after, we brought [them] back out, and [the plants] were still growing. So, we were still able to supply supermarkets with romaine lettuce and scallion the day after Hurricane Melissa," said Gray.

She emphasised that aeroponics is not meant to replace traditional farming but to complement it, strengthening resilience against climate change:

"We are in a time now where we experience climate change... so we have to prepare ourselves. Recovery is not just about after the hurricane... it's not just about trying to replant; it's also about strengthening what you have. So we're not trying to tell persons not to do traditional farming. We're actually trying to say, include smart farming into your systems, so that we're better prepared to handle any type of climate change."

Gray encouraged others to embrace aeroponics -- even at a personal level. A single residential unit requires just one square metre of space and can yield up to 52 plants, offering both a sustainable source of food and a potential avenue for income.