Stack Overgrow
Cities lack the space for traditional means of agricultural production. This means that fresh produce and other food supplies must be transported into urban areas, incurring a huge carbon footprint. Vertical farming is an old idea that can reduce urban food supply insecurity and the carbon footprint associated with food transportation. However, it has been economically unfeasible due to the amount of energy and resources required. Until now.
Agricultural technology firms such as Intelligent Growth Solutions are pioneering modern urban vertical farming technology that cut down the amount of resources required. For example, farms can be a one-man operation managed with a mobile application. Algorithms that control high-efficiency LED bulbs can produce amounts of light customized to the specific needs of each crop, reducing overall amount of energy consumed.
The beauty of this is that it can be deployed anywhere with a stable source of electricity. Location-specific data on the type of produce consumed can be used to decide the type of crops grown. To maximize its impact, such initiatives should be trialed in cities that would otherwise expend a significant amount of resources to import fresh produce due to their geography, such as Dubai, Doha, and island-nations like Singapore.
