Maximize Profits with Protected Cultivation: Grow High-Quality Crops Year-Round
Protected cultivation has revolutionized modern agriculture, enabling growers to produce high-quality crops regardless of season. Structures like greenhouses, screen houses, and tunnels allow farmers to manipulate environmental factors—temperature, light, and humidity—to optimize plant growth and achieve higher yields. This controlled environment approach is particularly valuable for producing crops during off-seasons, meeting consumer demands, and securing premium market prices.
This approach not only ensures higher yields but also delivers superior crop quality compared to open-field farming. If best practices are applied, the cultivation in a protected environment structure optimizes resource efficiency, reducing the use of water fertilizers waste and limiting the use of pesticides, allowing the use of natural enemies and other organic and more sustainable measures for pest control. At the same time, by minimizing pest exposure and providing ideal growing conditions, protected cultivation improves both the quality and quantity of harvests, reducing the risks involved with pesticide residues in crop products. Finally, the profit is higher for the greenhouse growers since they can sell their production in periods with limited product availability in the market and, as a result, higher prices.
Modern greenhouses integrate advanced features such as hydroponics for soil-less cultivation and climate control systems for precision farming. The use of diffused light through specialized coverings, such as fluorescent or pigmented films, enhances photosynthesis, improving crop growth. These innovations are vital for maintaining high productivity, particularly in areas with extreme climates.
Global Applications and Adaptations
Regions like the Arava in Israel exemplify the potential of protected cultivation in semi-arid climates. By using net houses with drip irrigation, farmers can sustain high-value crop production while conserving water. Conversely, colder areas utilize glass greenhouses to maximize solar energy and extend growing seasons.
Crops like corn can be cultivated as baby corn or processed later into corn flour, offering diverse market opportunities. Protected cultivation supports the consistent supply of high-value crops—even outside their natural growing seasons—by ensuring optimal growth conditions.
Types of Protected Structures: Greenhouses vs. Screen Houses
Protected structures are classified by their roof types:
- Non-Porous Roof Structures (e.g., Greenhouses):
These structures are sealed to prevent air and water entry, offering maximum control over the internal environment. Glass-sided greenhouses in colder regions like Norway and the Netherlands, for example, trap solar radiation and retain heat during winter months, extending the growing season. - Porous Roof Structures (e.g., Screen/Shade/Net Houses):
These allow air and water to enter, making them ideal for warmer climates. In tropical and arid regions, such as the Arava, net houses with drip irrigation systems are used to maintain humidity and reduce heat buildup. Materials like solid or porous plastic sheets enable passive ventilation and reduce internal heat accumulation, catering to diverse climatic conditions.
Building Resilience in Global Agriculture
Protected structures have revolutionized agriculture, enabling food production in challenging conditions like winter or arid regions. By choosing the right structure for your climate and crops, you can contribute to global food security and maximize profitability.
As the saying goes, "Whenever you eat, thank a farmer." Protected cultivation ensures that farmers can continue to innovate and thrive, feeding the world sustainably and reliably.
References
Classification of Protected Structures https://doi.org/10.32473/edis-hs1224-2013
Further reading
Natural Pollination in greenhouse crops using bumblebees and other beneficial insects
How to Start and Maintain a Vegetable Garden: Benefits and Practical Tips
Garden Shade Net: essential protection for vegetables
Integrated Pest & Disease Management in Greenhouses: A Comprehensive Guide
How Controlled Environment Agriculture is Transforming Farming in the MENA Region?