Clay 3D printed hydroponics: A paradigm to address global food insecurity

Clay 3D Printed Hydroponics is a novel, replicable, deployable, environmentally conscious urban farming solution, and architecture proposition. The model is posited to address broader concerns of food deserts and food insecurity in urban and rural areas in light of climate change, water scarcity, soil infertility, food supply chain issues, and civil unrest exacerbated by a growing population. Mitigating global hunger and increasing sustainability and resilience are among the greatest challenges and opportunities of our time. This paper introduces additively manufactured clay hydroponics as a promising soilless agriculture technique, fostering a dialogue on urban farming and food self-sufficiency and reporting on a pilot study conducted in Atlanta, Georgia. By harnessing the power of technology and innovation, the paper, the first in a series of technology implementations, integrates machinery, materiality, and ecology, aspiring to create deployable systems capable of addressing pressing challenges while deepening human connection to the natural world.