Is hydroponics the answer to sustainable agriculture in Malta?

Abstract

This report looks at the past and present of hydroponic systems and how they evolved while analyzing various hydroponics systems used and their application. The scope compares the efficiency of hydroponics systems vs. traditional open-field methods to understand the variables between the two methods and identify if the right conditions exist for local farmers to change their system wholly or partially into a hydroponic one. The study analyses the data collected from interviews conducted with local farmers using conventional methods and others using hydroponic systems, some of which use both. When analyzing the data, the objective is to get a more accurate idea of the variables, such as the total land area used for traditional agriculture vs. that used for soil-less agriculture, resources used like water and electricity, yields, number of harvests per year, and skills required. The objective is to identify the advantages and disadvantages of the hydroponic systems and conclude if there is a more sustainable future for agriculture In the Maltese Islands. This study shows clearly that the use of hydroponics in Malta has the potential to be a game-changer. Amongst it, many advantages for the local agricultural industry are a substantial increase in both harvests and yield per year, and environmental sustainability, reducing water, fertilizer, and pesticide usage. However, there is still much hesitation amongst local farmers to invest in such systems. Their fear range from the economic burden to the uncontrolled importation of foreign crops into our local market, thus discouraging them from going into debts. At the same time some traditional types of farming are more secure as they receive government and EU subsidies amongst other perks.