Hydroponics: An Emerging Solution to Soil Degradation

Abstract

Soil degradation has emerged as a critical environmental and agricultural challenge, affecting over 33% of the world’s land resources. This degradation is driven by unsustainable farming practices, deforestation, and climate change, threatening global food security and biodiversity. Hydroponics, a soilless method of cultivation, has gained attention as a sustainable solution to mitigate the impacts of soil degradation. By delivering nutrients directly to plant roots through water-based systems, hydroponics eliminates the need for fertile soil and addresses challenges such as erosion, salinization, and contamination. This review explores the principles and mechanisms of hydroponic systems, including techniques like Nutrient Film Technique (NFT), Deep Water Culture (DWC), and aeroponics. Key benefits such as efficient resource use, higher crop yields, and space optimization are highlighted, alongside challenges including high initial costs, energy demands, and technical expertise requirements. The paper also discusses the potential of hydroponics to revolutionize urban agriculture and expand food production into marginal lands. Technological innovations and renewable energy integration further enhance its feasibility as a scalable solution. While hydroponics is not without limitations, it represents a transformative approach to sustainable agriculture, offering a viable path forward in the face of growing environmental pressures and food demands.

DOI - https://doi.org/10.65525/SVUP.9788199956056.2026.126-138