Economic viability of two hydroponic gardens in the urban area of ​​São Paulo

Hydroponics, by not using soil, allows for greater flexibility in the location of the garden, an important characteristic considering the challenges of feeding a growing population expected to reach 9 billion inhabitants by 2050. The challenge of this new reality is to bring producers, currently in rural areas, closer to consumers in large urban centers. The objective was to verify the economic viability of two hydroponic lettuce garden projects in the urban environment of the city of São Paulo. The first project considered the construction of a hydroponic garden with natural lighting on a plot of land located in a central neighborhood in the northern zone of the city of São Paulo. The project included the construction of the benches inside a greenhouse, both budgeted in the project. The second project considered the cultivation of lettuce in a shed with artificial LED lighting and several cultivation levels. The differences between the projects allowed for a comparison of the impacts of including technologies used in virtual farms on the financial results of the gardens. The study began with the definition of the location of the gardens, followed by the preparation of the cash flow, and the calculation of performance indicators. The Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), and discounted payback period were calculated. An analysis was also conducted to verify the impact of adding new floors to the vertical garden. Finally, it was found that the hydroponics project with artificial lighting, despite the small area of ​​the building considered, is feasible for implementation in an urban environment.