Work

When Will Controlled Environment Agriculture in Its Vertical Form Fulfill Its Potential?

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Food systems around the world are challenged to meet increased demand while also mitigating ecosystem pressures from their current structure. Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) offers a potential solution to augment the food supply by adopting innovative production systems designed to overcome environmental resource limitations and efficiently serve densely populated urban areas. By utilizing Elkington’s profit, plant, and people framework (3Ps), this article assesses the sustainability of a major subcategory of CEA farms: indoor agriculture vertical farms (IA/VFs). The qualitative analysis attempts to answer the question of whether IA/VFs have fulfilled their potential. Results suggest that IA/VFs have not yet optimized their positive impact on future food system sustainability. For each of the three Ps, IA/VF’s observed progress and required breakthroughs are summarized. Notably, the financial viability of an IA/VF is more likely to be achieved through whole systems solutions: growing the right crops in the right environment, efficient use of resources, and effective consumer targeting. Significant progress is being made in the direction of innovating IA/VF’s role in future food systems. Through public–private partnerships and further analyses, further progress can be made toward realizing IA/VF’s potential to address the growing demands of an expanding world population and shrinking resource base.

Source: Sustainability

DOI: 10.3390/su17072957

Authors: Megan Burritt, Simone Valle de Souza, H. Christopher Peterson

Institution: Michigan State University

Language: English

Topic: Urban Agriculture and Sustainability

Subfield: Plant Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDGs: Zero hunger, Responsible consumption and production, Climate action

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896