Hyperponics

Modern agrifood systems are responsible for up to 30% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, making it the largest cause of global environmental change. Primarily, food production is a source of methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide. Methane is produced during the digestion of livestock, such as cows or sheep, or the anaerobic decomposition of organic material. Nitrous oxide is produced from soil microbes and fertilizers. Carbon dioxide is produced from the tillage of soils, clearing of land, and burning of fossil fuels for machinery and the supply chain2. The latter tends to be a commonly overlooked component of agrifood systems that we cannot ignore: in 2018, emissions generated from the supply chain (transportation, transformation, and consumption of food) accounted for 36% of the agrifood system emissions. This energy consumption came primarily from electricity, heating, cooling, and transportation of food.

Food loss and waste (FLW) also pose a significant problem with modern agrifood systems. An estimated 1.3 billion tons of food produced for human consumption (one-third of all food) is lost or wasted along the food chain, which is estimated to release more than 3.3 gigatons of GHG. To contextualize, that’s more than 33,000 fully loaded U.S. aircraft carriers. The U.S. only has 11. In 2020, an estimated 13.3% of food was lost shortly after harvesting and before reaching retailers during transport, storage, and processing. Distribution and sale to consumers lost 5-10% of food.

These flaws in agrifood systems lead to uneven access to food, hunger, malnutrition, and food insecurity. Oftentimes, they provoke unhealthy dietary habits, contributing to a surge in health problems like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Unhealthy diets are the largest burden of disease and pose a greater risk of morbidity and mortality than unsafe sex, alcohol, drug, and tobacco use combined. Globally, more than 820 million people remain undernourished, 151 million children and stunted, and more than 2 billion people are micronutrient deficient. 

Moreover, the migratory movement from rural areas to cities in recent years has driven the industrialization of agrifood systems, making it difficult for small farmers to access the globalized food supply chain. Consequently, the consumption of processed and fast food with high caloric index and poor nutritional value has taken over city landscapes. Harris County, TX, where this project is headquartered, is an urban county that encompasses the Greater Houston area. It is also home to roughly 650,000 food-insecure persons and 250,000 food-insecure children, the second-highest figure in the United States. Collective efforts and reform are necessary to address the food insecurity of global and local populations whilst minimizing the GHG emissions of the agrifood system, particularly stemming from the supply chain and FLW.

Urban-based agrifood systems offer benefits that extend beyond the current agrifood systems we have in place today. Studies in six countries around the world (Belgium, Ecuador, Honduras, Indonesia, Senegal, and Tanzania) demonstrate that urban agriculture can build the resilience of a city’s food supply, improve nutritional outcomes, and mitigate the environmental impact of longer supply chains. 

The foundation of our urban agrifood system is hydroponic growth. Hydroponics is widely recognized as an eco-friendly, sustainable, reliable, and flexible approach to food production. It typically results in faster growth (30-50% faster) and occupies less space compared to traditional soil-based agriculture. Hydroponics rely on controlled environments with features such as light-emitting diode (LED) lighting, optimized atmospheres, and nutrient solutions. These systems are less vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, which can contribute to food loss and waste (FLW) during the growing phases. 

Hydroponic production systems are versatile and capable of growing a wide variety of foods, including fruits, leafy and stem vegetables, herbs, microvegetables, superfoods, and calorie-dense foods, such as wheat and potatoes. This contributes to a more plant-based diet, which research has demonstrated to be more beneficial to human health than most modern diets. These systems can be integrated into a building or lot wherever space is available, making hyperlocal food production a reality. There will be shorter supply chains for fresh agricultural products, which increases accessibility and enhances the resilience of urban production. As we bring production sites closer to consumers, long-haul supply chains are reduced, which lowers fossil fuel consumption. 

The sustainability of this hyperlocal food production system is assessed by the Sustainability Assessments of Food and Agriculture Systems, in terms of the establishment of good governance systems, the maintenance of environmental integrity, economic resilience, and the assessment of social well-being.

While our solution applies to urban areas worldwide, our main focus is on Harris County, TX, where the solution team is headquartered. As mentioned, Harris County has the second most food-insecure persons and children in the United States. Hundreds of thousands of individuals lack consistent access to enough nutritious food to field a regularly healthy lifestyle. Overt hunger from prolonged food insecurity results in illness, discomfort, and weakness.

The food insecurity of these persons often means making difficult decisions, such as choosing between paying for groceries or paying for other necessities. Per a survey from the Houston Food Bank of food insecure individuals, 69% of respondents reported paying for utility bills rather than groceries, 57% reported paying for rent or mortgage rather than groceries, 31% reported paying for education rather than groceries, and 67% reported paying for transportation rather than groceries. These respondents also share that they cope with these issues by cutting down their grocery spending and indulging in less nutritious meals. Their inaccessibility to healthy foods is restricting and damaging their lives, and our solution aims to alleviate this5.

A common trait of food insecure persons is that they are low-income-low-access (LILA), meaning they live in areas where there is a lack of affordable, healthy foods. This scarcity forces residents to either depend on less healthy options available at convenience stores or to undertake long travels to access better food options, thereby limiting their availability of nutritious food.  Living in food deserts often contributes to hidden hunger, a form of undernutrition linked with a deficiency of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). Common examples of hidden hunger are vitamin A deficiency in children and iron deficiency in pregnant women,.

An actionable measure to address food insecurity in Harris County is creating a hyperlocal food production system that takes food directly to the consumer within the heart of food deserts. Harris County possesses several vacant parking lots, abandoned buildings, and other underutilized spaces that could potentially be repurposed into productive agricultural zones. While urban environments introduce barriers to traditional agriculture, such as soil quality concerns and lack of land availability, our proposed hyperlocal food production system is based on controlled environment agriculture and hydroponics, bypassing these issues. These systems will be driven by a “‘nutrients and yield’ (quality and quantity)” approach versus the traditional “yield (quantity-driven)” approach. By doing so, we ensure that micronutrient-rich and calorie-dense foods can reach residents easily, contributing to a healthier diet. A shorter supply chain also reduces FLW and maximizes food-processing efficiency as there is less time between food production and consumption. Overall, the implementation of hydroponics in a hyperlocal food system helps provide healthy food to those living in food deserts while simultaneously reducing FLW and GHG emissions.

The Team Lead and other members of the team are from DeBakey High School for Health Professions (located in the Texas Medical Center), which is a Title I high school in the Houston Independent School District (HISD). DeBakey is also a magnet school, meaning it attracts students from all around the Greater Houston area instead of following a typical zoning plan. Because of this, students come from all areas of Houston, many of which are food deserts. 

To address this, DeBakey is a partner for the Houston Food Bank to distribute food to students and the local community. On biweekly Fridays, a Houston Food Bank distribution truck sets up shop in the DeBakey parking lot, where hundreds of people collect meals and groceries throughout the day. Firsthand witnessing the sheer number of students and members of the local community that benefit from the Houston Food Bank distribution at DeBakey, the team sought to better understand what the students and community are looking for in regards to accessibility for nutritious foods.

We administered a survey titled “The Locavore's Dilemma: Assessing Fresh Food Accessibility for Houston’s Student Population” to uncover some of the pressing issues within these urban communities. This survey explored the attitudes and consumption patterns of fresh, locally grown food among 14 schools in HISD. We employed a series of structured questions, tailored to assess various dimensions of fresh food access, including frequency of consumption, perceived importance, availability within walking distance, purchasing habits, willingness to pay more, and overall interest in increased availability. Additionally, demographic information was collected to enable a segmented analysis of the responses. 

The results of our study found that overall, students from urban schools in HISD, such as DeBakey and Carnegie Vanguard High School (located near downtown Houston), had the highest number of respondents indicating there is no place within walking distance from their home where they can buy fresh, locally grown food. This suggests a potential lack of accessible fresh food sources in the areas surrounding these schools, which is a barrier to adopting healthier eating habits. "I know eating healthier would help me focus better in class, but there aren't many places near where I live where we can afford or even find fresh fruits and vegetables," shares Alexis, a sophomore at DeBakey.

The variance in fresh food accessibility across schools underscores a broader problem of food insecurity, health disparities, and economic disadvantage faced by urban and underserved communities. These findings echo concerns about the inability of traditional agricultural practices to meet the needs of densely populated areas effectively and highlight the potential of a hyperlocal food production system. We will address the food insecurity of countless students in HISD and individuals in Harris County while reducing FLW and mitigating GHG emissions, creating a zero-carbon agrifood system that delivers nutritious food to our residents.

We chose the prototyping stage for our Hyperponics project because we have been launching small-scale efforts since 2021. Our first initiative was during the 2021-2022 school year when one of our team members created a hydroponic laboratory in their high school classroom. He taught an agricultural class during that year and taught students how to grow food in hydroponic systems. Within the confines of his classroom, his class grew enough vegetables to create salads for the faculty. At our highest efficiency, we grew about 800 salads per week. While we no longer have that classroom laboratory, we created a new one at our team lead’s high school. In this lab, we researched the potential for growing calorie-dense foods and grains in an indoor hydroponic system. We became some of the few researchers in the world to grow wheat indoors, and we were recognized by multiple institutions and corporations for our work. Our efforts also took the form of a children’s book, as we published a story to teach children about the importance of not wasting food. While our efforts have been separated, they have contributed to our overall goal, and with MIT Solve’s support, we can centralize and scale up our operations to the next level. 

Our reasons for applying to Solve are twofold: (1) liaising support for collaboration with governmental agencies and (2) capital for initial investment. 

Our primary need is based on the distribution aspect of our urban-based agrifood system. The absence of dedicated government support for the transformation towards sustainable food systems is a crucial barrier to our progress. We need to engage community players and multi-lateral organizations to refine our collective goals. Solve’s reputation and networking opportunities can help build this alliance of forces to operationalize our project. These alliances could include players at all stages of the food system and operate at all scales so that our local actions in Harris County can be in line with national and global goals for FLW and nutrition set by the USDA and UN. Solve would also be able to assist with the creation of sustainability reports to communicate the results of our efforts in both climate and nutritional dimensions. This would include assistance in monitoring our progress and reporting beyond lists of actions and statistics, and instead through transferable lessons to inspire action.

Secondly, the capital from Solve would serve as our initial investment into our urban-based agrifood. Compared to traditional agriculture, the initial investment in hydroponic systems is generally much higher, but the hyperlocality of our project enables a positive impact on the local economy that will quickly cycle back into the hydroponic systems. 

Our urban-based agrifood system is anchored on hydroponic technology, which has not yet been taken to a macro-scale for addressing the problems with our climate-damaging supply chains. Multiple components of our solution make it innovative. 

1. Reiterated, the use of hydroponics is not entirely new, but its application in urban environments as the primary method of food production is a new approach to sustainable food production. The benefits of hydroponics include faster growth rates, higher crop yields, more nutrient-dense foods, and more. Additionally, all of this requires less space in comparison to a traditional agricultural farm. This is ideal for urban environments where there is no space for large farms. Instead, we take on the asset-based community development (ABCD) model, which activates the potential of a community to address its pressing issues. We activate the latent resources of a community to create short supply chains that produce high-energy, nutrient-dense foods in sustainable manners. 

2. Hydroponic technology also significantly reduces our reliance on practices that contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. With controlled environments and optimized resource usage, we minimize water usage, pesticide use, and FLW caused by extreme weather. Our emphasis on hyperlocal food production is also a deviation from the centralized model of food distribution that governs our modern world. By integrating hydroponic systems into urban spaces, such as buildings or vacant lots, we minimize the distance between producer and consumer and consequently reduce transportation-related emissions.

Innovations like ours have the potential to catalyze broader positive impacts in the agrifood sector. If we demonstrate the feasibility and benefits of urban-based hydroponic systems, we can lead a inspire other initiatives and lead a paradigm shift in how food is produced and distributed in urban areas. Our work embraces sustainable agrifood practices and hopes to evolve our community towards a more decentralized, resilient, and environmentally friendly model of food production and consumption.

Our team has previously developed and implemented hydroponic systems in urban environments, and we have researched growing various crops indoors using hydroponics. Additionally, we have engaged with the community through surveys to understand their needs and preferences regarding access to nutritious foods. This leads us to develop our theory of change. The theory of change for our hyperlocal food production system in Harris County, TX, is straightforward yet impactful. 

1. Activities

   1. Infrastructure Development. We want to identify suitable locations within Harris County for setting up our hydroponic food production systems. This step will involve securing the necessary permissions and agreements from the proper authorities for utilizing vacant lots, parking spaces, or abandoned buildings. We will then install hydroponic infrastructure, including nutrient delivery systems, LED lighting, and climate control mechanisms for each site. 

   2. Community Education. We will then collaborate with local schools, community centers, and grassroots organizations to bring awareness about our hyperlocal food production. We will organize workshops and hands-on demonstrations to educate residents about the principles of sustainable agriculture in controlled environments and healthy eating habits. This also has the effect of inspiring our next generation of changemakers who will continue our project in years to come. Outputs

1. 1. Operational Hydroponic Food Production Systems. We will successfully establish operational hydroponic food production systems at multiple locations across Harris County, ensuring consistent production of fresh, high-quality crops throughout the year. We will be regularly monitoring the crop health of what we grow, growth rates, and yield metrics to fine-tune our system parameters and maximize our efficiency.

   2. Community Outreach and Support. For residents who live in areas with our hydroponic food production systems, we will help foster a sense of ownership and empowerment. This will include involving them through volunteer opportunities and community workdays for the maintenance of our systems.

1. Outcomes

   1. Immediate Outcomes. Our systems will increase access to fresh, locally grown produce, which reduces reliance on processed foods. This will create the effect of greater satisfaction in the community (in accordance with our survey results) regarding the availability and affordability of nutritious foods. The adoption of hydroponic systems also contribute to reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, and land degradation associated with conventional agriculture practices.

   2. Longer-term Outcomes. We enhance the food security of our communities and contribute to community resilience and empowerment. We will turn Harris County into a model for innovative approaches to addressing food insecurity and climate change in urban areas.

By implementing this detailed plan, we expect our solution to have a transformative impact on the lives of residents in Harris County, TX, and serve as a replicable model for addressing similar challenges in urban communities globally.

Our impact goals for our hyperlocal food production solution in Harris County, TX, are as follows:

1. Improved Food Security: We want to ensure all all residents have consistent access to nutritious foods, which reduces the prevalence of food insecurity in LILA communities.

2. Environmental Sustainability: We want to minimize the carbon footprint of food production by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, and transportation-related emissions.

To measure our progress towards these impact goals, we are using the following indicators:

1. Food Access and Affordability: We will track the percentage of residents in targeted neighborhoods who report increased access to fresh, locally grown produce and a reduction in the cost of nutritious foods compared to processed alternatives.

2. Environmental Impact: We will quantify the reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, and transportation-related emissions using life cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies.

Key components of our hydroponic food production systems include: 

1. Nutrient Delivery Systems: Our hydroponic systems deliver essential nutrients through water solutions enriched with minerals and fertilizers. Our tried-and-tested nutrient solution optimizes plant growth and productivity, resulting in higher yields compared to traditional soil-based agriculture.

2. Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA): Our hydroponic systems operate within controlled environments where we control for environmental factors like temperature, humidity, light intensity, and air quality with air conditioning, fans, and LED lights. This control maximizes crop growth rates, minimizes resource consumption, and reduces susceptibility to pests and diseases.

3. LED Lighting: In our hydroponic systems, light-emitting diode (LED) lighting plays a crucial role in providing the necessary spectrum and intensity of light for photosynthesis. LED lights are energy-efficient and customizable, enabling us to tailor the lighting frequency and intensity to established crop requirements, resulting in accelerated growth rates.

4. Data Monitoring and Automation: Our hydroponic systems will include monitors, sensors, and automation technologies to monitor the environmental conditions, nutrient levels, and plant health in real-time. This will enable us to have precise control over our growing parameters and allow us to rapidly respond to any disruptions to our systems. The data we collect will also enable us to make informed decisions to maximize yields and minimize risks.

Two individuals. Mihir Relan and Dr. Surendra Surujdeo-Maharaj. 

We have been individually and collectively working on our solution for roughly 3 years. 

We have previously worked with different organizations that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, and we have taken on a number of high-school students to teach about hydroponic research and conduct their own mini-experiments. Our team is made up of diverse voices and ideas, and we would welcome many more to our team. 

Our business model is primarily a B2C, where we produce food to sell directly to consumers. However, we may evolve to a B2B as well where we can sell directly to wholesale supermarkets and farmer's markets. 

Revenue generated by our systems can be cycled back into our business model for maintenance and scaling up of our hydroponic food systems.