Feeding the Cities of the Future: Embracing Vertical Farming for Sustainable Urban Agriculture

A much-quoted prediction from the UN states that 70% of the world’s population will live in cities by 2050. As this trend accelerates, the challenge of ensuring a stable (and healthy) food supply for urban centres becomes more pressing than ever. 

Our current global food system is already struggling to meet global demands sustainably. Food production and agriculture account for over a third of all global emissions and have also been identified as one of the largest threats to ecosystems globally. Habitat loss, soil erosion, water overuse and contamination, methane and nitrous oxide emissions, and food waste are just some of the negative impacts our current agricultural system has on the environment. 

Our food system is not only failing the planet it is failing humans too. The World Food Programme’s 2023 Global Report on Food Crises found that in 2022, around 258 million people across 58 countries and territories faced acute food insecurity at crisis or worse levels, up from 193 million people in 53 countries and territories in 2021, and more than doubling the number 2020. Additionally, the FAO found that moderate to severe food insecurity affected almost a third of the global population in 2022, with over 3.1. billion people worldwide (42%) unable to afford a healthy diet in 2021. 

All this, combined with a rapidly changing climate, means we are in desperate need of solutions to sustainably feed our cities of the future. 

As part of a huge movement in food-related technologies, vertical farming has emerged as just one of the innovations that could positively impact food security for growing cities, reduce global emissions and mitigate the impact of climate change on food production.

Vertical farming is a technique of growing food inside on stacked shelves in a controlled environment and produce is grown utilising soil-free techniques. Because of this, vertical farming can achieve yields hundreds of times higher than conventional agriculture using considerably less land, all year round. Moreover, vertical farms’ closed systems eliminate the need for pesticides, leading to healthier and more environmentally-friendly produce.

The nature of vertical farming also means that plants can be grown in urban centres reducing supply chains between produce and consumer. 

One of the most considerable benefits of vertical farming is its potential to mitigate the current negative environmental impacts of agriculture. This is most visible in its water use. Most vertical farms use 70-80% less water than conventional farms. This is significant when considering that 70% of the earth’s available freshwater is used for agriculture. 

Vertical farms have also been hailed as a potential solution to food deserts. According to the USDA, "Food deserts are defined as urban neighborhoods and rural towns without ready access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food. Instead of supermarkets and grocery stores, these communities may have no food access or are served only by fast-food restaurants and convenience stores that offer few healthy, affordable food options." With the increased availability of fresh produce in densely populated areas, it is hoped that these food deserts will be reduced, improving diets and quality of life. Moreover, due to the controlled environment in a vertical farm, there is no need to use pesticides or herbicides. This means that food is not only fresher but also doesn’t carry toxic chemicals from pesticide or herbicide use. 

Vertical farming offers many exciting opportunities; however, no solution is without its challenges. Currently, vertical farms are limited in what they can effectively grow. Soft fruits, tomatoes, herbs, lettuce, kale and other leafy greens are generally the main products of a vertical farm system. However, space-intensive staple crops such as wheat, corn and rice are still not compatible with the system meaning vertical farming is unlikely to replace traditional growing methods in those areas. 

Moreover, the initial investment in vertical farming is considerable and energy consumption remains a concern. Since vertical farms are operated indoors, they need strong lighting for photosynthesis – light that would otherwise be provided by the sun. This, of course, requires energy and therefore brings up concerns about where such energy is sourced. Additionally, some crops still require manual pollination, which can be costly compared to insect pollination. Because of this, produce from vertical farms remains much more expensive than that produced by traditional agriculture. 

Despite these obstacles, ongoing advances in technology, particularly in LED lighting and renewal energy sources, are making vertical farming more economically viable and environmentally sustainable. Collaborations among horticultural-grade LED manufacturers and the standardisation of lighting technology hold promise in driving down production costs. The use of photon optimisation, delivering only the light the plants need when they need it can help reduce power requirements by up to 50 per cent.

The technology behind vertical farming has been rapidly evolving, leading to its increasing adoption worldwide. The global vertical farming market, valued at $2.23 billion in 2018, is projected to reach an impressive $12.77 billion by 2026 (Source: Allied Market Research). Countries like Japan, the US Singapore and the UAE are leading this revolution, with Japan witnessing exponential growth in vertical farming factories producing a variety of crops.

The integration of technology and agriculture is not without its complexities, but vertical farming stands as a beacon of hope for the future. With its potential to provide year-round, sustainable crop production, decrease pollution, and address food security concerns, vertical farming offers a path to revolutionise the way we feed our cities. As urban populations continue to grow, embracing innovative approaches like vertical farming will play a pivotal role in ensuring a healthier, more sustainable future for us all.

One of the key benefits of using renewable energy in vertical farming is that it can help to reduce the environmental impact of the operation. By reducing the number of fossil fuels used, vertical farms can significantly reduce their carbon footprint. Additionally, renewable energy sources are less likely to contribute to air and water pollution, which is a major concern for traditional farming methods. By utilising renewal energy sources such as solar and wind power, heat exchange and water recycling, vertical farms can significantly lower overall energy and operating costs.

Vertical farm design has scope for integrating automated machinery and or robotic processes for sowing, harvesting and packaging. Industrial-scale farms can integrate a Cultivation Management Platform with growth recipes designed to ensure consistent yields, flavour and nutrient content for one crop cycle or all year round. Cameras enable monitoring of growth activity and time-lapse imagery for crop analysis to ensure traceability, seamless compliance and recall protocols.

Therme destinations, where feasible, will utilise hydroponic farming techniques, enabling sustainable and locally grown, nutrient-rich fresh produce to be available to the many millions of guests that visit Therme’s locations every year.

So, watch this space to see tradition merge with the technology to optimise production and help deliver a sustainable future.