Facts
Trends in population, developed and developing countries, 1750-2050 (estimates and projections) (Source)
Agricultural production increases, per commodity 1965-2008 (Source)
Water requirements for food production 1960-2050 (Source)
Supermarket share of retail food sales (Source)
Projected impacts of climate change (Source)
Projected agriculture in 2080 due to climate change (Source)
Potential for cropland expansion (Source)
Losses in the food chain, from field to household consumption (Source)
Food consumption, trends and projections (Source)
FAO Food price index (FFPI) (Source)
FAO Commodity Price Indices (Source)
An increasing number of countries are leasing land abroad to sustain and secure their food production (Source)
Traditional Agriculture
If we continue using traditional farming practices as they are practiced today this is just an impossible feat . Why, because presently, throughout the world, over 80% of the land that is suitable for raising crops is already in use (sources: FAO and NASA). So what can be done to avoid this impending disaster?
What can we do is the more pertinent question.
The solution is Vertical Farming or growing vertically instead of horizontally.
Advantages of Vertical Farming
- Year-round crop production; 1 indoor acre is equivalent to 20+ outdoor acres or more, depending upon the crop (e.g., strawberries: 1 indoor acre = 30 outdoor acres)
- No weather-related crop failures due to droughts, floods, pests
- All food is grown organically: no herbicides, pesticides
- Virtually eliminates agricultural runoff by recycling back water
- Returns farmland to nature, restoring ecosystem functions and services
- Greatly reduces the incidence of many infectious diseases that are acquired at the agricultural interface
- Dramatically reduces fossil fuel use no tractors, plows, shipping.
- Converts abandoned urban properties into food production centers
- Creates sustainable environments for urban centers
- Creates new employment opportunities
