Vertical farming - the answer to global population growth?

With studies suggesting farmers will struggle to feed the extra 3 billion people swelling the global population by the year 2050, Columbia University professor Dickson Despommier believes a revolutionary model of agriculture is vital to avert an impending catastrophe. He claims vertical farming is the answer, arguing that if current practices don’t change by mid-century an area bigger than Brazil will need to be devoted to agriculture just to keep pace with demand - adding to deforestation and desertification.

Comments

[Steve P]

Contraception and average family sizes of ~1.5 per couple is the answer to population growth. Let's hope we can bring it to a rapid stop eg topping out at 9 billion max. It'll be easier than multi- storey farms! In fact growing algae in high yield ponds and turning it into palatable human food will probably be easier and cheaper!

[philip Hind]

Vertical farming.the master solution for a desperate planet, I humbly suggest that we all stop wasting the approximately one third of our food that goes straight inthe waste bin!

[eu bel]

matthew,we have soil dn. to the earth's core & who says we even need dirt?[hydrophonics]

[Matthew Flaschen]

Vertical farming can't do anything about the inherently limited quantity of viable soil.

[jan bus]

The only answer to population growth is population decrease: back to 1 billion.

jan-b The Netherlands

[john haydon rowe]

what a none
sense to be concerned about emmisions if football matches or other sporting events are played under floodlights.