Urban AgricultureThe future of food

Rapid Population Growth and Food Insecurity

Food insecurity.If supply does not meet demand

The greatest demand will come from the cities by 2050 almost 3/4 of population will be

urbanCIA: “the number of malnourished people will

increase by more than 20 percent ...” U.N. -agricultural production will have to grow

by 70% to meet urban demand.

Population pressures have already resulted in overuse of land in some placesSoil erosion > new soil formationevery year, wind and rain carry away 25

billion metric tons of rich topsoil.Cities and suburbs are expanding onto land

once used to grow food.

Unconventional Solutions Vertical (Skyscraper) Farming -build a

glass skyscraper made up of many floors of fields and orchards, could feed 50,000 people. temperature, humidity, airflow, lighting, and

nutrients controlled to create the optimum conditions for growth.

A conveyer belt would rotate crops on stacked trays around the windows to ensure an even amount of natural light.

However….additional light would need to be provided

artificially to prevent uneven crop growthenergy required for this lighting would

significantly increase food production costs.

The Vertically-Integrated Greenhouse should require less artificial lighting Plants would rotate on a conveyor system

in a narrow space between two layers of glass built around a building’s perimeter.

This “double-skin façade” greenhouse can be new or a retrofit for existing office buildings.

The greenhouse could reduce the entire building’s energy use up to 30%.

Rooftop GardensBrightFarms (Gotham Greens)

○ A 15,000 sq. ft. commercial rooftop greenhouse in Brooklyn, New York, sells 500 pounds of produce every day.

○ automated sensors to activate lights, fans, shade curtains, heat blankets, and irrigation pumps that use captured rainwater.

To minimize transportation and storage, the greenhouse was located near the supermarkets and restaurants who will receive the produce the very day it is picked.

The VertiCrop System grows lettuce crops for animals at

Paignton Zoo in Devon, England. Its single-story greenhouse requires less

supplemental energy because plants are surrounded by sunlight from the sides and above.

A VertiCrop system with four-meter towers was built on the roof of a garage in Vancouver, Canada. produces 3500 lbs of greens/week= a 5 acre farm with 92% less water and no

pesticides.

The Science Barge Energy from sunlight, solar panels, wind

turbines, and bio-fuels Uses insects rather than chemical

pesticides gets water by harvesting rainwater and

desalinating harbor water.

All use Hydroponics does not require arable land. plant’s roots are continuously bathed in

a solution of water mixed with essential nutrients.

produce healthier plants in half the time.

Reduced operating costs + greater yield = bigger profits

help these greenhouses recoup the initial expense for automated and renewable energy technologies.

hydroponics and controlled interior climate nearly any kind of crop can be grown

anywhere, year round Yields up to 15-20 times greater than

conventional farming. Innovation brings the farm to the city, and if

implemented on a large scale, could improve food security.