Revisiting aeroponics: Cool roots, hot tropics, fresh greens

Borneo Post

06-07-2025

Today, we revisit a bold agribusiness diversification venture by an oil palm plantation company during the late 1990s, amid the Asian Financial Crisis. While most were still exploring hydroponics, I was immersed in something even more radical: soilless farming.
It was a rare opportunity to be at the forefront of agricultural innovation. I worked with a visionary Malaysian agribusiness and a dedicated team, pioneering a groundbreaking farming technology in collaboration with Singapore's Nanyang Technological University.
At the time, growing crops without soil was met with skepticism — 'Plants… without soil?' But we weren't just experimenting; we were growing commercially, flipping conventional agriculture on its head.
Over four years, we defied the odds by successfully cultivating temperate greens, fruiting vegetables, and culinary herbs in Malaysia's hot tropics using aeroponic technology. Our mission: reduce Malaysia's reliance on imported temperate produce and usher in a new era of precision agriculture. With determination and a lot of mist, we proved that high-value crops could thrive in the most unlikely environments. This is our story.
What is Aeroponics?
Imagine growing plants with their roots hanging mid-air, sipping a fine mist of nutrients like they're at a spa — that's aeroponics or airponics.
The term was coined by Frits Warmolt Went during his aeroponics experiments at Earhart Laboratories in Pasadena, California. Considered the most efficient soilless plant cultivation system, aeroponics conserves water and allows precise control over the root zone atmosphere.
In aeroponics, plants are grown without soil. Their roots hang in air, misted with a nutrient-rich solution in timed intervals. Think of it as hydroponics' tech-savvy cousin, with better airflow and no muddy shoes. In recirculating systems, the nutrient solution may be recycled.
Why go soilless? For starters, aeroponics uses up to 90% less water than traditional farming — an impressive feat in a world where every drop counts. Plants grow faster, yields are higher, and less manpower and space are needed, with almost architectural precision. Picture vertical farms on city rooftops or high-tech greenhouses growing lush greens in the middle of a concrete jungle.
Aeroponics also trims transport time by producing food closer to where it's consumed, like the Klang Valley. This reduces spoilage and brings 'farm-to-table' freshness to a whole new level.
Aeroponics in the Tropics: Free Sunshine and Beating the Heat
We set out on an ambitious mission: to grow delicate temperate greens in Malaysia's hot, humid lowlands, just a stone's throw from hungry urbanites of Klang Valley. The challenge? These veggies didn't exactly enjoy sunbathing in 35°C heat with 90% humidity. Instead of giving up, we decided to think vertically and aeroponically.
Armed with innovation, we combined aeroponics with a clever cooling twist. By misting the roots with chilled, nutrient-rich solutions while letting them dangle in mid-air, we tricked the plants into thinking they were vacationing in a mild European spring.
The result? Crisp, vibrant lettuces, brassicas, and herbs that grew faster, tasted better, and had fewer tough fibers. They were tender and tastier. Our produce didn't just look and taste premium — it told a story of innovation in action.
Looking back, we weren't just playing with mist and roots; we were rewriting the playbook. At a time when soilless farming and climate-smart agriculture were still considered sci-fi, we were proving it could work. Bold? Yes. Risky? Certainly. Necessary? Absolutely. We were planting the seeds for a more resilient, localised and tech-savvy way to feed the tropics.
The big secret?
We stumbled upon what felt like a 'big' secret — one that, in hindsight, was hiding in plain sight: what happens below the surface often dictates what flourishes above it. In other words, roots rule. The shoots and leaves may take the spotlight, but it's the roots backstage, calling the shots. We discovered that by cooling the roots, we could grow temperate greens in the sweltering tropics.
And while I haven't tried it myself, it stands to reason that the reverse could work too — perhaps warming the roots could coax tropical greens to thrive in chillier climes. Of course, the magic goes well beyond this root-zone sleight of hand. There's an entire symphony of variables to tune: optimal root temperatures, droplet size, misting intervals, nutrient concentrations—you name it.
Cracking the code takes patience and a fair bit of trial and error. But it's not rocket science — just root science, empirically. I suspect a good portion of this knowledge is still tucked away in some dusty corner of my brain.
What Greens Did We Grow Aeroponically Back Then?
What did we grow in our misty, futuristic farm of the late '90s? Let's just say we weren't growing 'just salad' — we were cultivating salad royalty.
Our crown jewel? The Golden Butterhead lettuce — tender and charming, it became our flagship crop, the Beyoncé of greens. Alongside it, we grew Romaine, Batavia and a whole entourage of coral lettuces. And who could forget Lollo Rossa, the curly red-leaf diva that strutted into salad bowls with vibrant colour and flair?
But we didn't stop at lettuces. We also grew local Brassicas like Kai Lan, Siew Pak Choy and Choy Sum, but with a new experience in taste and texture.t We transforming the ordinary to extraordinary sweeter, crunchier versions with far less bitterness.
Then there was kohlrabi. At the time, it was an alien newcomer — many hadn't heard of it. But with high-quality seeds from overseas, we grew a crunchy, juicy and slightly sweet bulb that defied expectations.
Feeling adventurous, we also grew Cherry tomatoes — flavour bombs in addition to their cute appearance. Our greenhouse was a botanical theme park for herb lovers, with basil, rosemary, oregano, thyme and varieties of basils like sweet, lemon and cinnamon. The herbs grew so vigorously they practically staged a takeover of the growing troughs.
At one point, we even considered branching into medicinal herbs. Plants grown aeroponically were reported to have higher yields and comparable antioxidant properties to soil-grown crops. But before that next chapter could begin, I moved on to other ventures, leaving behind the mist, roots and herbs that never stopped growing.
When Life Gives You Wilted Lettuce, Make Juice
Anyone who's dealt with the cold chain in Malaysia knows this: lettuces may survive the trip, but not all come out looking pristine. After some time in chilled storage, even the sturdiest greens begin to wilt, curl, and look a bit rough. But peek inside, and the inner leaves remain crisp and vibrant, full of promise.
Instead of tossing these moody greens, we got creative. What if lettuce had a second act, not on a plate, but in a glass? And so, Lettucino was born — a healthier, greener cousin of the cappuccino, starring our butterhead lettuce.
After some experimentation, we found a winning combination. When paired with a certain icy cordial, the result was unexpectedly delightful — light, slightly sweet and fresh. Voilà — a lettuce-based beverage that was nutritious, novel and strangely addictive.
Even the big names took notice. Former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Siti Hasmah sampled it at exhibitions, giving their ultimate seal of approval: smiles and thumbs-ups. It was a proud moment — turning surplus salad into sippable success, with a side of innovation. Who knew that behind every wilted butterhead was a potential barista?
Aeroponic Marketing Struggle in the 90s
In the late 1990s, growing aeroponic vegetables was bold, but selling them was the real challenge. While our technology and ambition were ahead of the curve, the market wasn't ready. Introducing premium, soilless produce into a system dominated by lowland and Cameron Highlands-grown vegetables meant constant uphill battles.
Malaysia's fresh produce scene was controlled by entrenched importers and highland growers with strong retailer ties and reliable supply chains. We, the newcomers with mist-grown greens, struggled to break into supermarkets and hypermarkets. Buyers stuck to what they knew. Our produce may have been fresher, but to many, we were still 'experimental.' Trial orders were small, and volume commitments rare.
Even when we secured orders, delayed payments became a major issue. As a young business, cash flow problems hit hard — perfect crops meant little when payments took months.
Retail options were limited too. The hypermarket wave was just beginning, and organic shops or farmers' markets were niche. Restaurants showed interest but placed tiny orders. Infrastructure and demand hadn't caught up with innovation.
Consumer education was another hurdle. While we spoke of misting and nutrient precision, shoppers just wanted fresh, cheap sayur. 'Aeroponic' sounded alien. Without clear marketing channels or standards, conveying our value was difficult.
Looking back, we weren't just launching a product — we were trying to change mindsets and disrupt a rigid system. A tall order, especially post–Asian Financial Crisis. Today, urban farming trends and sustainability help, but many core challenges remain. Big players still dominate, payment terms are tough, and buyer conservatism persists. Awareness has improved, but entering the mainstream still takes grit.
Aeroponics Today: From Farms to Space Stations
Fast forward to today, and aeroponics has officially left the lab — and in some cases, the planet. What began as an ambitious experiment has evolved into a high-tech solution reshaping how and where we grow food.
In vertical farming, aeroponics towers are thriving — literally and figuratively. Urban farms are transforming repurposed warehouses, high-rise buildings, and shipping containers into leafy green oases. Why aeroponics? It's perfect for the vertical age: no soil, minimal water, and maximum control. With precise nutrient delivery and climate regulation, crops grow faster, cleaner, and with less waste. Companies around the world are producing hyper-local lettuces, herbs, and even strawberries — all within city limits.
But the sky isn't the limit. NASA has explored aeroponics for over two decades as a potential solution for long-duration space missions. Growing food in microgravity isn't suited to traditional soil farming. Aeroponics, with its closed-loop systems and water efficiency, offers a clean, low-mass solution for astronauts on the Moon, Mars or wherever humanity ventures next.
In fact, aeroponic research is already aboard the International Space Station, where experiments are helping scientists understand how to grow plants in zero gravity — one misted root system at a time. Talk about farm-to-galaxy.
Revisiting Aeroponics: A Vision Renewed
Looking back on our early aeroponic ventures, it's clear we weren't just experimenting — we were pushing the boundaries of agriculture. But innovation takes time to root. The hurdles were significant: high setup costs, technical complexity, power reliance and the need for skilled operation. What was once cutting-edge became expense decision makers weren't willing to continue. Priorities shifted, the site moved to property development and interest cooled. The project ended — not for lack of potential, but because the world wasn't ready. Yet good ideas don't die; they wait.
Today, the landscape has shifted. Urban farming is booming, and precision agriculture, now known as Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), is the new norm. Consumers demand not just food, but freshness, traceability and sustainability. And the tech? Leaner, smarter and more accessible. Open-source tools, affordable sensors and modular systems have replaced the clunky prototypes of the past.
Aeroponics isn't just relevant — it's primed. The traits that once made it experimental now make it ideal: minimal water use, high space efficiency and proximity to urban markets. Chilled nutrient mist doesn't just boost health; it mimics temperate conditions — opening possibilities in equatorial regions once thought impossible.
So here I am, not to relive the past, but to remix it — to inspire others especially the Gen Y to modernise, scale and adapt aeroponics for today's urban challenges amid climate change. This isn't a revival; it's a continuation — a story of resilience, curiosity and belief that sustainable agriculture can feed cities — and quietly, reshape our world.
Is the Time Ripe for Aeroponics 2.0?
Three decades ago, when we started down the path of CEA, few could have predicted how far it would go. Today, CEA is the sleek, high-tech cousin of traditional farming, using hydroponics or its flashier sibling, aeroponics, to grow plants in tightly controlled, climate-agnostic environments.
CEA systems are like five-star hotels for plants: lighting, temperature, humidity, and nutrients are curated to perfection. The result? Optimized growth, minimal waste, and crops that never check the weather forecast. Most commercial CEA farms still rely heavily on hydroponics, with roots chilling in nutrient-rich water. As for aeroponics, where roots dangle in mid-air and are misted like spa guests, it's still waiting for its big commercial breakthrough.
Despite the hype, large-scale aeroponics remains more science experiment than supermarket reality. However, with sustainable farming practices and continuous innovation, it could eventually account for 10% of global produce production. For now, it serves as a solid launchpad for growth and future possibilities.
That said, CEA has its place, especially in a world where climate change is rewriting the farming playbook and consumer demands are evolving. CEA isn't here to compete with the sun but to fill the gaps. With tech catching up and demand rising, perhaps the mist is ready to go mainstream, offering a promising route to secure, nutritious food in places where nature isn't so cooperative.
But for CEA and aeroponics to thrive, they must grow on solid business ground. After all, photosynthesis may be a miracle, but profitability still pays the bills.