Future food-production systems: vertical farming and controlled-environment agriculture

TLDR

Increasing population, urbanization, water scarcity, and climate change are reducing arable land per person, challenging policymakers to sustain food supply for a projected 9.7 billion by 2050. The study evaluates vertical farming to boost productivity and cut environmental impact in urban high‑rise indoor settings, assessing its pros and cons. The authors assess vertical farming by examining its productivity and environmental benefits in climate‑controlled high‑rise buildings, weighing advantages and disadvantages. Vertical farms are presented as clean, green food sources with biosecurity, pest and drought resistance, and lower transport and fossil‑fuel use, offering implications for policymakers and economic analysis.

Abstract

The unremitting trends of increasing population, urbanization, diminishing water supply, and continuing climate change have contributed to declining stocks of arable land per person. As land resources for agriculture decrease, policy makers are faced with the challenge of sustainability and feeding the rapidly growing world population which is projected to reach approximately 9.7 billion in 2050. Solutions for improving future food production are exemplified by urban vertical farming which involves much greater use of technology and automation for land-use optimization. The vertical farm strategy aims to significantly increase productivity and reduce the environmental footprint within a framework of urban, indoor, climate-controlled high-rise buildings. It is claimed that such facilities offer many potential advantages as a clean and green source of food, along with biosecurity, freedom from pests, droughts, and reduced use of transportation and fossil fuels. In this article, the issues involved are evaluated together with potential advantages and disadvantages. Possible implications are identified for consideration by policy makers and to facilitate further economic analysis.