Farming the Sky
Using Vertical Agriculture to Solve the World's Food Crisis
Outline
What is Vertical Farming 

Current Industrial Agriculture versus Vertical Agriculture

Why is Vertical Farming a Better Option

Farming the Sky: Case Studies in New York & Chicago

Timeline for Implementation 

The Future of Agriculture

Conclusion
Vertical Agriculture
Current Industrial Agriculture
Year-round crop production

No weather-related crop failures due to droughts, floods, pests

All organic: no herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers

Reduces fossil fuel use (no tractors, plows, or shipping.)

converts abandoned urban properties into food production centers

Creates sustainable environments for urban centers

virtually eliminates agricultural runoff by recycling black water

Returns farmland to nature, restoring ecosystem functions and services

Reduces the number of many infectious diseases that are acquired 
     through farming

Converts black and gray water into potable water by collecting the 
     water of evapotranspiration

Adds energy back to the grid via methane generation from 
     composting non-edible parts of plants and animals
(Source): Vertical Farm
verticalfarm.com
Heavy use of pesticides is associated with elevated cancer risks

Causes significant erosion, the reduction of genetic diversity, and pollution of our air,water, toxic chemicals, and harmful pathogens

Industrial farms cause $34.7 billion worth of environmental damage in the US each year

According to the EPA, over 1 billion tons of pesticides are used in the US every year

In 2002, 69,000 children suffered from pesticide related poisoning or exposure to poisonous pesticides

17% of all fossil fuel used in the US is currently consumed by the food production system

Large-scale, centralized production requires extensive food transportation

Conventional produce, for example, is shipped an average of 1,500 miles before reaching consumers

 Foods are highly processed with preservatives to survive long   distance shipment
(Source): Sustainable Table
sustainabletable.org/spread/handouts/Sustainable_vs_Industrial.pdf
What is Vertical Farming?
The idea was developed by Dr. Dickson Despommier and his students at Columbia University in 2001. Simply put, a Vertical Farm is a multi-story greenhouse that enables cities and urban areas to become self-sufficient through
sustainable agriculture.
On each story of this greenhouse a different type of crop is grown, and not only crops, but specific levels inside the building are designed to raise fish as well as small animals such as pigs and various foul. In essence, this multi-story greenhouse is a skyscraper, and would literally be a farm in the sky.
Vertical Farms would allow for the stable, year round production of crops, fish, and animals in an enclosed environment that is not subject to climate or pests (Despommier). As an enclosed environment, it would recycle all waste products that will result from the process of growing crops, therefore, eliminating the release of toxic pollutants into the environment (Despommier). Also, as a secondary benefit due to the harvesting being automated by machines, Vertical Farming would prevent the spread of disease, thus saving countless lives and money spent on healthcare costs.
Why is Vertical Farming a Better Option?
Food Crisis
By the year 2050 the UN estimates that the world’s population will total more than nine billion. Out of that nine billion it is estimated that approximately 70% will live in cities (United Nations – State of World Cities Report 2008/9). In just forty years, if the earth’s population grows by almost two and a half billion of today’s level of 6.8 billion, how will we produce enough food to sustain that many people? 

In consequence “food production … must increase by 70 percent” (United Nations – How to Feed the World in 2050 p2). The majority of these people will be born in developing countries such as Africa and the countries in South East Asia. “Sub-Saharan Africa’s population is expected to grow the fastest (up 108 percent, 910 million people), and East and South East Asia’s the slowest (up 11 percent, 228 million)” (United Nations – 2050: A Third More Mouths to Feed). Due to poor economic conditions, some of these countries lack the vital infrastructure needed for productive agriculture to support their people’s diets. 

When combined with the exploding growth in population on the horizon – the food crisis may cause severe political instability as countries fight over arable land and clean water “… agriculture is the backbone of overall growth for the majority of countries in the region and essential for poverty reduction and food security” (United Nations – 2050 – Africa’s Food Challenge). This is highlighted by the requirement that to sustain over nine billion people, cereal production for both humans and animal feed has “to grow by almost one billion tonnes (2.1 billion tonnes today) and meat production by over 200 million tonnes” (United Nations – 2050: A Third More Mouths to Feed). If these advancements in food output are not achieved then up to “370 million people” will not have adequate nutrition (United Nations – 2050: A Third More Mouths to Feed).
Serfdom or Freedom?
With the advent of globalization farms became increasingly farther and farther away until the majority of the food we consume is not even grown in nearby states, but in other countries. This atmosphere has created a huge market to exploit for multi-national companies such as Cargill, Monsanto, et al. who have created an oligopoly in terms of food production. The following sources of information emphasizes the situation that countries around the world (including America) find themselves in as these multi-national companies wield their power in the global food market with relative impunity:

"Thirty years ago, most developing countries had in place mechanisms aimed at maintaining a relatively constant price for food commodities. Tariffs on imports protected local farmers from fluctuations in global food prices... The idea was to give farmers some certainty over price, and to keep food affordable for consumers. Over the last three decades, the system was completely abandoned, in country after country. It was replaced by a [sic] multinational-dominated, globally integrated food system, in which the World Bank and other institutions coerced countries into opening their markets to cheap food imports from rich countries and re-orienting their agricultural systems to grow food for rich consumers abroad." (Weissman)

This globalization of the food market has led to an environment where companies such as Cargill (which the above quote references) have an incredible amount of control over the price of grain. Being able to manipulate the price of food commodities creates a level of extraordinary control, and places the sovereignty of any nation in question when the basic necessities of life are arbitrated by companies whose main purpose is profit. 

“The decline of developing country agriculture means that developing countries are dependent on the vagaries of the global market … and the giant trading companies that dominate it.” (Weissman)
 
Our country finds itself in a truly vulnerable position when the production of such basic necessities like food is controlled by outside interests. Would it not be wise to seek an alternative to this situation that provides healthy food for an entire city’s population at a substantially lower price, emits no pollutants, and has the added benefit of reestablishing America’s sovereign right to produce our own food? Apparently, this is not what the senior vice-president of Cargill, Paul Conway, wants for America or any country for that matter: “The drive towards self-sufficiency in response to last year’s food crisis will fail, a top executive at Cargill has warned, adding that the idea that countries “can be self-sufficient in every single food is a nonsense” (Blas).
A New Way to Farm
The Environmental Protection Agency cites agriculture as the leading 
non-point source of pollution in rivers and lakes. This includes contamination from toxic pesticides, animal waste, fertilizers, and sedimentation occurring from runoff (Environmental Protection Agency). It is ironic that in the process of growing food we end up polluting the environment, and it is vital that we find a way to minimize the impact this has on our surroundings. Over time, this pollution re-enters the food chain, eventually finding its way into our food and drinking water with severe consequences for our health and well being. So how do we implement an entirely new system of agriculture that restores the balance between humans and the environment at a local level, and also is unfettered by the moneyed interests of global food companies? 

To effectively resolve the impending food crisis and rebuild our food production capacity, a paradigm shift from the current practice of industrialized farming is needed through the establishment of Vertical Agriculture.

There are several compelling reasons to develop Vertical Farming to its fullest potential. The Vertical Farm essentially is sealed off from the outside and prevents pests from attacking the crops and precludes the need for pesticides. In turn, this is of obvious advantage to human health while at the same time makes agriculture runoff a worry of the past. No longer would toxic chemicals contaminate our food, water, and the environment as we would finally have a system of agriculture that enabled people to live in balance with the world around them. Due to this level of control, foods would have a higher nutritional profile resulting from the use of both hydroponic and aeroponic systems to provide the nutrients necessary for healthy crops. One of the many side benefits from growing food in this method is the higher level of output versus conventional agriculture. Depending on the crop, it has been estimated that one acre of a Vertical Farm can produce the equivalent of ten or more acres using conventional farming (Despommier).

Once Vertical Farming is developed and widely adopted the price of food will drop significantly from large scale agriculture conducted in an urban environment. Since the food is harvested mechanically without human labor the cost from overhead is greatly reduced. After the food is harvested it can be shipped to a market within the city, or simply stocked inside a market which is part of the Vertical Farm itself (Despommier). As a consequence, there would be little if any labor and transportation costs associated with the food. This would enable the owner(s) to still make a profit while at the same provide a high quality alternative to conventional farming at a much lower cost to the consumer.
Farming the Sky: Case Studies in New York & Chicago
Two separate case studies were conducted in New York and Chicago of what would be the various socio-economic and politcal impacts of shifting agriculture over to vertical farming.  

The main aspect of the case study in  Chicago involved the several economic benefits reaped from establishing a Vertical Farm. The initial investment, however, is steep, yet within a little over one years time, the investement has been recouped and a substantial profit is achieved with a relatively low maintenance cost. 

The case study in New York focuses more on the social and politcal impacts that will be the result of the adoption of Vertical Farming in a large city. Concerns such as what happens to small to medium conventional farmers as well as what the role  major interests groups may play in hindering the establishment of Vertical farming is addressed.
Case Studies
Chicago
Conclusions
(Source): Kennedy, Ben "Vertical Urban Farming: Growing a Better City 
with Urban Agriculture" 
 http://verticalfarm.com/PDF/presentations/Ben_Kennedy_VF.pdf
"New York City’s urban landscape and dense population make it an ideal setting for vertical farming.  A sustainable food source within the city limits would help provide fresh produce to the community while reducing the transportation costs of importing food from outside farms.  Vertical farming would also reduce the amount of waste produced by such a large population by converting it to energy.  NYC’s nearly 18,000 restaurants would be able to sell their waste to the vertical farms thereby generating additional income and spurring the economy."  

"This efficient management of waste would also help control vermin by reducing the amount of organic byproducts sitting out on the streets.  Vertical farms would also produce jobs for low income populations and bring people together through a shared project that benefits their community.  From a public health standpoint, vertical farms may help reduce obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease by providing healthier food choices at a lower price.  Vertical farms could not only educate people on sustainability and ecology but also on nutrition and healthy living.  NYC, recently ranked in the top ten greenest cities in America, has an environment that is receptive to the concept of vertical farming and would foster the support of the community."

"When planning a vertical farm in NYC, an important consideration to take into account is the cultural diversity of the population.  A vertical farm’s crops should satisfy a variety of diets or be modified to a specific community.  A possible challenge of the vertical farm will be overcoming opposition from agro businesses.  Lobbying from these interest groups will slow down legislation supporting the vertical farm.  The use of vertical farms will also take away jobs and the livelihood of local farmers, who may not necessarily be able to move into NYC because of the already crowded conditions.  These challenges must be overcome for successful implementation of vertical farms in NYC."
New York
(Source): Reitano, Elizabeth, Elizabeth Del Giacco, Sonia TourÈ, Greg Gin et al. "Socioeconomic and Political Implications of Vertical Farming." http://verticalfarm.com/plans-2k6_scio.htm
Timeline for Implementation
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, as of 2004 nearly 40% of the landmass on earth was used in some form of agriculture. Projections for the year 2050 account for another “120 million hectares in developing countries” of arable land that will be required for food production (United Nations. "2050: A Third More Mouths to Feed). This increase in the need for land in conventional agriculture comes with all the requisite problems of pollution, added transportation costs, and health care costs associated with it.
As referenced in the case studies of both New York and Chicago, developing the technology required for Vertical Farming to become a reality is not the main obstacle to overcome. The economics, government, and culture surrounding conventional agriculture must be shaped in such a way that allows for new ideas to flourish in the place of stagnant systems that produce more harm than good in terms of the effects on the environment and our health.
The widespread implementation of Vertical Farming reduces to a matter of will. Yes, there are deep costs in the intial set up and construction, however, the return on investment is fast and maintenance is low relative to a sustaintial profit margin. 
We can let the robber barons of agriculture make the decision for us while we bind ourselves to their rule or we can effectively take control of our future now and begin building Vertical Farms in every major metropolitan area in the United States. Either we act now or we will fall into the abyss as the output from conventional agriculture simply will not be able to sustain the demand of over 9 billion mouths to feed by 2050.
The Future of Agriculture
There are several compelling reasons to develop Vertical Farming to its fullest potential. The Vertical Farm essentially is sealed off from the outside and prevents pests from attacking the crops and precludes the need for pesticides. In turn, this is of obvious advantage to human health while at the same time makes agriculture runoff a worry of the past. 

No longer would toxic chemicals contaminate our food, water, and the environment as we would finally have a system of agriculture that enabled people to live in balance with the world around them. Due to this level of control, foods would have a higher nutritional profile resulting from the use of both hydroponic and aeroponic systems to provide the nutrients necessary for healthy crops. One of the many side benefits from growing food in this method is the higher level of output versus conventional agriculture. 

Depending on the crop, it has been estimated that one acre of a Vertical Farm can produce the equivalent of ten or more acres using conventional farming (Despommier). 

Once Vertical Farming is developed and widely adopted the price of food will drop significantly from large scale agriculture conducted in an urban environment. Since the food is harvested mechanically without human labor the cost from overhead is greatly reduced. 

After the food is harvested it can be shipped to a market within the city, or simply stocked inside a market which is part of the Vertical Farm itself (Despommier). 

As a consequence, there would be little if any labor and transportation costs associated with the food. This would enable the owner(s) to still make a profit while at the same provide a high quality alternative to conventional farming at a much lower cost to the consumer.
The Benefits
Healthy Cities, Healthy People
(The following is an excerpt from Dickson D. Despommier in an article he wrote on the need for the application of Vertical Farms.)  

"Vertical farms would also make cities more pleasant places to live. The structures themselves would be things of beauty and grace. In order to allow plants to capture passive sunlight, walls and ceilings would be completely transparent. So from a distance, it would look as if there were gardens suspended in space."

"City dwellers would also be able to breathe easier — quite literally. Vertical farms would bring a great concentration of plants into cities. These plants would absorb carbon dioxide produced by automobile emissions and give off oxygen in return. So imagine you wanted to build the first vertical farm and put it in New York City. What would it take? We have the technology — now we need money, political will and, of course, proof that this concept can work." 

"That’s why a prototype would be a good place to start. I estimate that constructing a five-story farm, taking up one-eighth of a square city block, would cost $20 million to $30 million. Part of the financing should come from the city government, as a vertical farm would go a long way toward achieving Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s goal of a green New York City by 2030. Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer has already expressed interest in having a vertical farm in the city. City officials should be interested. If a farm is located where the public can easily visit it, the iconic building could generate significant tourist dollars, on top of revenue from the sales of its produce."

"But most of the financing should come from private sources, including groups controlling venture-capital funds. The real money would flow once entrepreneurs and clean-tech investors realize how much profit there is to be made in urban farming. Imagine a farm in which crop production is not limited by seasons or adverse weather events. Sales could be made in advance because crop-production levels could be guaranteed, thanks to the predictable nature of indoor agriculture." 

"An actual indoor farm developed at Cornell University growing hydroponic lettuce was able to produce as many as 68 heads per square foot per year. At a retail price in New York of up to $2.50 a head for hydroponic lettuce, you can easily do the math and project profitability for other similar crops."

"When people ask me why the world still does not have a single vertical farm, I just raise my eyebrows and shrug my shoulders. Perhaps people just need to see proof that farms can grow several stories high. As soon as the first city takes that leap of faith, the world’s first vertical farm could be less than a year away from coming to the aid of a hungry, thirsty world. Not a moment too soon."
(Source): Despommier, Dickson: "A Farm on Every Floor" Op-Ed NeW York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/24/opinion/24Despommier.html?_r=2
Self-Sufficiency
Conclusion
The reality of the food crisis is brought to bear when we come to the understanding that we have the ability to provide adequate food for the entire world’s population, both now and in the future. It solely boils down to a matter of will to implement the solutions necessary as referenced in the following quote by Norman Borlaug, the famed agronomist and Nobel laureate who has been credited with feeding over one billion people: 

"Man can and must prevent the tragedy of famine in the future instead of merely trying with pious regret to salvage the human wreckage of the famine, as he has so often done in the past." (Borlaug)

Farming skyward in an enclosed self-sustaining environment makes the most practical sense because as the population grows it really is our only option. Horizontal agriculture is a 10,000 year old technology subject to all sorts of problems such as crop failures due to disease, flooding, and droughts. Why rely on such a faulty scheme if we can implement the solution to solve the world’s food crisis with the majority of technology that is available today?