Vertical Farming as a Solution to Feeding the Growing Population

Vertical Farming as a Solution to Feeding the Growing Population

Cuello, Kacira

Sustainable agriculture is ever more important as global leaders try to answer the question of how to feed a world population approaching 10 billion by mid-century. BIO5 member Dr. Joel Cuello and professor of biosystems engineering Dr. Murat Kacira are looking for answers in the form of vertical farming, which will enable more efficient food production with fewer resources. A vertical farm is an enclosed and highly controlled space consisting of food production in vertically stacked layers. It is intended to consistently optimize productivity in hopes of meeting the growing demand for food. As researchers improve the technology needed to make this concept viable on a large scale, private companies are starting to enter the vertical farming space commercially and will serve as partners to advance a sustainable business model. 

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