To ensure global food security to meet the demands under uncertainty as COVID-19 pandemic and increasing population, food production must rise by 60 percent by 2050. On the other hand, natural prerequisites of agriculture, namely arable land and water, have been depleting with rapid urbanization across the globe. To feed the increasing population, not only does the productivity of food crops need to be increased in the existing arable land, but alternative farming techniques need to also be encouraged.

Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic has an impact beyond a health crisis: it is affecting societies and economies at their core. While the impact of the pandemic will vary from country to country, it will most likely increase poverty and inequalities on a global scale, making the achievement of SDGs even more urgent. Without steep and adequate socio-economic responses, global suffering will escalate, jeopardizing lives and livelihoods for years to come.

Considering the force and isolation of COVID 19, strengthening food production and distribution systems is key to fighting hunger and tackle the double burden of malnutrition. The development of aqua- and hydroponics embrace all dimensions of food security. The integrated WEF framework for the planning of aqua- and hydroponics should improve access of urban poor to healthy foods. Additionally, domestic production of food, access to markets and the acquisition of skills are invaluable tools for securing the empowerment and emancipation of women in developing countries, and aqua- and hydroponics can provide the foundation for fair and sustainable socio-economic growth. Contrary to allotment gardens in peri-urban and urban areas, hydroponic systems do not require much space and can be realized in small areas in and around the homestead. Moreover, installations can be realized by individuals as stand-alone systems that will avoid the complicated organization of collective actions.

Hydroponics, by definition, is a method of growing plants in a water-based, nutrient-rich solution. Hydroponics does not use soil, instead, the root system is supported using an inert medium such as perlite, rockwool, clay pellets, peat moss, or vermiculite. The basic premise behind hydroponics is to allow the plant’s roots to come in direct contact with the nutrient solution, while also having access to oxygen, which is essential for proper growth. Moreover, it is a potentially useful tool to overcome some of the challenges of traditional agriculture in the face of freshwater shortages, climate change and soil degradation (FAO, 2018). Hydroponics is an option for farmers with limited access to land and water and works well in places where the soil is poor and water is scarce, for example in urban areas, arid climates and low-lying islands (FAO, 2018).