Thinking outside of the box, or the farm, so to speak, Columbia University microbiology and Public Health professor Dickson Despommier, has become an advocate for his concept of vertical farming.
“With an estimated 1,090,000 square miles of farmland needed to grow enough food for the world’s population in 2050, it is no wonder that vertical farming has been on the rise. In fact, one acre of vertical farm is estimated to equate to about 10 to 20 traditional soil-based farms [1].”
But how would that work? Hydroponics.
Hydroponics is a soil-less way of growing plants by delivering nutrients through a mineral enriched water solution.
The concept is very interesting, but considering the land price in major cities, may be cost prohibitive. It certainly opens the door to the conversation alternative farm growth and how science can play a role in this new shift. And in a smaller capacity, some venues, such as Whole Foods (but mostly in suburban locations so far), are converting their rooftops to gardens, yielding as much as 10,000 pounds of produce a year.
You can read more about this concept in the Science and Food Luciaarticle.
[1]. https://scienceandfooducla.wordpress.com/2016/05/17/vertical-farming-high-rise/
http://recovergreenroofs.com/?projects=whole-foods-lynnfield-ma