Vertical farming - smart urban agriculture for enhancing resilience and sustainability in food security

TLDR

Global food security is threatened by Covid‑19, climate change, population growth, resource shortages, energy crisis, and rapid urbanisation, leaving many countries with hunger and malnutrition. The review examines vertical farming as a sustainable practice that could mitigate global food security challenges. The review discusses how vertical farming uses IoT‑enabled precision monitoring and control, outlining its opportunities and challenges for meeting economic, social, and educational needs in urban agriculture.

Abstract

Global food security has been significantly threatened by the Covid-19 pandemic and several prolonged challenges such as climate change, population increases, shortage of natural resources, energy crisis, and rapid urbanisation worldwide. Although numerous attempts have been made to secure resilience in the food system, many countries are suffering from hunger and malnutrition, particularly in African and some Asian countries. This review paper presents one of the sustainable farming practices – vertical farming that could play a key role in mitigating global food security in the current uncertain world. It addresses the recent development of vertical farming with advanced precision monitoring and controlling system by the Internet of Things (IoT) applications. It also provides information about the opportunities and challenges of vertical-urban agriculture and how urban agriculture meets economic, social and educational needs.