The Cincinnati Zoo has embraced hydroponics—growing plants without soil using nutrient-rich water and LED lighting—to produce over 10,000 pounds of lettuce and kale annually. This system ensures a steady supply of fresh greens for giraffes, manatees, and elephants while reducing reliance on external suppliers.
Why Hydroponics? Resilience and Cost Efficiency
Zack Burns, the zoo’s hydroponics technician, highlights three key benefits:
- Sustainability– Reducing transportation emissions by growing food on-site.
- Food Security– Avoiding supply chain disruptions caused by droughts, disease outbreaks, or recalls (e.g., coli or Salmonella).
- Cost Stability– Market fluctuations can double the price of lettuce in weeks, but hydroponics provides predictable production costs.
Megan O’Keefe, the zoo’s sustainability project manager, confirms that despite the initial investment, hydroponics is already saving money by eliminating reliance on volatile commercial markets.
Hydroponics in Agriculture: Challenges and Opportunities
While hydroponics offers clear advantages, high setup costs remain a barrier. Mike Maslanka, a senior nutritionist at the Smithsonian National Zoo, notes that most zoos still rely on traditional farming due to expense. However, as technology advances, costs are expected to drop, making hydroponics more accessible.
For farmers and agronomists, hydroponics presents exciting possibilities:
- Year-round productionunaffected by weather.
- Higher yields per square footcompared to soil farming (studies show up to 30% faster growth rates).
- Water efficiency, using up to 90% less waterthan conventional farming (NASA research supports this for space farming applications).
Future Expansion: Large-Scale Hydroponic Farming
The Cincinnati Zoo is exploring a “massive food production facility” combining hydroponics with traditional farming. If successful, this hybrid model could inspire agricultural businesses to adopt similar systems for high-value crops like leafy greens, herbs, and strawberries.
Is Hydroponics the Future of Farming?
Hydroponics is no longer just a niche technology—it’s a proven, scalable solution for reliable, sustainable food production. While initial costs are high, long-term savings, resilience, and environmental benefits make it worth considering for farmers, agronomists, and food producers looking to future-proof their operations.
As global climate change and supply chain instability increase, hydroponics may soon transition from zoo experiments to mainstream agricultural practice.
