Back in the good old days, farming was easy. Throw some seeds in the ground, keep it watered, pray to your preferred deity to spare your crops from pestilence and wait for harvest season.

Food production needs to increase by 70 per cent to feed the nine billion population projected for 2050. Fortunately, the industry is benefiting from some radical thinking. Here are the cutting edge technologies taking farming towards this goal.

Although vertical farms producing leafy greens are receiving most of the press coverage, there are a variety of other crops being being grown and innovative growers are finding these crops to be profitable.

Addressing the impact that climate change has on food security and thus the eradication of hunger, new farming methods have to be explored. Vertical indoor farming has the answers to these issues as it provides the controlled environment needed for sustained future plant growth.

Vertical indoor farming systems can operate independent from the power grid or sewer network, make their own water and electricity, have build in sewer treatment and generate biogas fuel as a byproduct.

 I have developed a mobile, shipping container based indoor farming and food production system and would like to share this info with you. This system provides an innovative solution to the challenges faced for providing sustained food production methods.

Abstract: Climate change poses significant threats to worldwide food security in several ways, making it necessary to look for new methods to maintain food security and to eradicate hunger. Changes in Temperature and Precipitation lead to Water Scarcity and Drought, Extreme Weather Events, Pest and Disease Outbreaks and cause Sea Level Rise.

Source NASA

Crop failures and reduced agricultural productivity can lead to economic losses for farmers, affecting livelihoods and local economies. Addressing the challenges posed by climate change to food security requires implementing sustainable agricultural practices while improving water and resource management.

Vertical indoor farming has the potential to address food security by: providing a controlled environment for plant growth operating independent of the power grid or sewer system making their own water, electricity and biogas reducing the need for pesticides and herbicides efficient space utilization and multiple harvests per year   Vertical Farming: Healing Earth With Modern Techniques Here's how this system can contribute to these important issues: Controlled indoor environments allow for optimized energy use through LED lighting, climate control, and water recycling, making the process more energy-efficient and lucrative compared to traditional farming. In the face of climate change and the growing global demand for sustainable food production, an innovative solution, the Mobile Container-Based Vertical Indoor Farming System, emerges as a beacon of hope.

This cutting-edge technology promises to transform agriculture, ensuring food security while mitigating environmental impact. Versatility in Cultivation: One of the key strengths of this system lies in its ability to cultivate a diverse range of crops. From fruits and vegetables to herbs and spices, potatoes, sorghum and soybeans. The system is fully insulated and can operate in temperatures from -50 to +60 degrees celsius.

Utilizing energy efficient 12V LED lighting

Environmentally Sustainable: By harnessing renewable energy sources, such as solar panels and wind turbines, it generates its own electricity and extracts drinking water from the ambient air, while having its own integrated sewer treatment system. The modular design allows for different configurations while operating completely off the grid or sewer system Additionally, this aeroponics system incorporates advanced water recycling methods, enabling efficient use of water resources. Furthermore, the integration of biogas (methane) technology facilitates the production of clean energy from organic waste, reducing dependence on fossil fuels. Self-Sufficient Nutrient Production: Addressing the issue of fertilizers, the system includes a closed-loop mechanism that transforms organic waste into high-quality fertilizer, ensuring a sustainable supply of nutrients for the crops. Modular systems can be utilized for mobile school feeding schemes The system can be combined with habitat modules or mobile spaza shops Mobility and Adaptability: The mobility of these shipping container-based systems is a game-changer. They can be easily transported to areas affected by food scarcity, natural disasters, or conflicts, providing immediate access to freshly grown produce wherever needed.

In conclusion, this Mobile Food Production System represents a pivotal step towards a more sustainable and secure future. By revolutionizing agriculture, it can ensure a consistent supply of nutritious food while safeguarding the environment.

If you find that the potential of this system aligns with your food production strategy while enhancing your operation, or would like to invest in this technology, contact Frank Glatzel (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) for more information about this innovative Mobile Food Production System. About the author: Frank Glatzel is a German born Engineer, specializing in civil/structural and industrial design, with a passion for electronics and software development. During his 35 year long career, he has been involved in numerous infrastructure projects and was an engineering consultant and lecturer at Autodesk for over a decade. Having grown up in an agricultural community, he also has a keen interest in farming while continuing his research in sustainable technologies.

Vertical farming in soft fruit is a sure-fire way to lose money, one of the UK’s foremost fresh produce research organisations has warned.

There are an incredible amount of advantages urban farmers have over conventional agriculture.

As technology becomes an integral part of the agriculture industry, farmers are increasingly moving their growing operations indoors.

Food. What we eat, and how we grow it, will be fundamentally transformed in the next decade.

While the vertical farming sector has raised over $ 1 billion in funding since 2015, the sector faces huge challenges.

Urban areas contain more than half the world’s population and contribute to some 70% of the planet’s energy emissions.

By 2050, more than nine billion people will populate the world. Urban areas will grow, as more people will leave rural regions for opportunities in cities, and urban centers like Pittsburgh will have to support as much as 80 percent of the population.

Aquaponics is a hydroponics system that utilizes aquaculture to grow plants.

Vertical farming is growing quickly.

With the population of the world being the largest it has ever been, the responsibility to feed this ever-growing population is getting harder and harder which is why experts think that vertical farming is the future.

The Taiwanese vertical farming expert ‘YesHealth’ has partnered with Danish food tech company ‘Nordic Harvest’ to create Europe’s largest vertical farm as well as to make it fully automated and also autonomous in regards to the energy it needs for operation.

Indoor vertical farming, where crops are raised in automated stacks, often in or near cities, offers a way to sustainably meet the growing demand for food — if its energy demand can be reduced.

After more than two decades of espousing the benefits of vertical farming around the world, it seems Dr. Dickson Despommier is still every bit as eager to talk about the subject as I am.

On a sunny day last August, Daniel Malechuk opened the door to a 77,000-square-foot warehouse just outside Atlanta.

Vertical farmer and clean energy specialist Tristan Fischer has a plan he believes will transform the future of food production and help the world avoid climate catastrophe

Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) systems like vertical farms and plant factories are suitable means to produce food in urban and rural regions and offer economic, environmental and social benefits.