How can vertical farming guarantee the future of food security?

Abstract

Average global food prices have gone up by 2.6 percent annually in the past two decades. If the scenario continues, not only does it threaten a baseline quality of life as more disposable income goes into food, but also our overall food security. As a global society, we are no stranger to persistent hunger and malnutrition issues, especially in developing countries, but food scarcity problems have also been linked to political unrest and violence. According to the United Nations World Food Programme, record-high food prices in 2008 prompted riots in 48 countries, including fragile states like Somalia and Yemen. Rising food costs reflect underlying trends leading to failures with traditional agriculture. Vertical farming, a technology-driven model of agriculture, may offer a means to address farm output and food security in the years to come, even if it may not impact food prices in the many months ahead.