TED Talks Daily Are indoor vertical farms the future of agriculture? | Stuart Oda
Jan 21, 2020
Stuart Oda, an investment banker turned farmer, advocates for indoor vertical farming as a solution to our impending food crisis. He discusses how this method can efficiently use space and resources, revolutionizing urban agriculture. Oda highlights the urgent need to increase food production by 70% by 2050 due to population growth. He shares innovative techniques for sustainable practices and emphasizes the potential of transforming underutilized urban spaces into thriving gardens. His insights offer a hopeful glimpse into the future of food security.
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The Coming Food Crisis
- By 2050, the global population will be almost 10 billion, with most living in urban centers.
- Food production must increase by 70% to meet this demand, requiring more food growth in the next few decades than in the past 10,000 years.
Current Agricultural Challenges
- Current agriculture faces challenges like food waste, safety issues, and high water consumption.
- One-third of all food produced is wasted, and 600 million people get sick annually from contaminated food.
Indoor Vertical Farming
- Controlled environment agriculture, or indoor vertical farming, is a solution to food production challenges.
- This method involves growing food in vertical racks in a climate-controlled environment.