An indoor farm using artificial lighting for growing leafy vegetables was developed at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB). The Sustainable Indoor Farm for Growing Leafy Vegetables using Artificial Lighting (SIGLA) is a modular, weatherproof vertical farm developed to promote urban agriculture. It aims to increase access to high-value leafy vegetables in industrial and urban areas.
“This facility is more than just a space for growing food; it is a living proof of how vertical farming can revolutionize our approach to food production,” said Dr. Ronaldo B. Saludes, project leader of SIGLA.
UPLB Chancellor Jose V. Camacho expressed his support for the project. According to him, “the SIGLA Modular Farm stands as a shining example of sustainable indoor farming, equipped with advanced technologies, controlled environment systems, and energy-efficient lighting.”
According to Dr. Saludes, plants grown in indoor vertical farms need essential resources such as water, carbon dioxide, light, nutrients, and electricity. The sustainability and efficiency of the production system are based on the assessment of the resource use efficiency, economic viability, and carbon footprint.
Some of the leafy greens grown as part of the cropping trials were Batavia Jonction lettuce, Lalique Crystal lettuce, Lollo Rosso (red) lettuce, Arugula, Swiss chard, Mizuna, and Kale. The SIGLA Modular Farm at UPLB will serve as a demonstration site for the establishment of community-based indoor vertical farms with integrated solar panels.
Currently, the UPLB project team is conducting a resource-use efficiency analysis to determine how the SIGLA modular farm effectively utilizes its resources, such as water, energy light, crop nutrients, and land surface. A carbon footprint and cost-benefit analysis are also underway.
The design and development of SIGLA was made possible through the funding support of the Philippines-Korea Joint Research Program of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). Improvements to the design and operation of SIGLA were also supplemented through a benchmarking activity of commercial modular farms in the Philippines and South Korea and cropping trials of selected high-value leafy greens.
In addition, the DOST-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRD) provided the performance and testing of the project.
Investing in indoor vertical farming can help address food insecurity, especially in urban areas. In a message, DOST-PCAARRD Executive Director Reynaldo V. Ebora says that ‘DOST-PCAARRD recognizes the potential of this technology in offering a sustainable and environment-friendly solution for production.’