Revolutionizing Urban Agriculture: How Controlled Environment Agriculture Can Solve Food Insecurity

Last Updated on October 23, 2023

I have exciting news about an innovative agricultural production method that could help mitigate food insecurity, especially in urban areas. It’s called Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA). This closed-system farming method has been studied as a potentially sustainable alternative to soil-based agriculture, and the results show that it’s more feasible than the other four methods that were studied.

CEA setups involve an outer structure that houses tiered platforms, holding crops, while allowing for optimal nutrient delivery within a controlled setting. Plant growth is enabled through lighting and other devices, such as dehumidifiers and fans. CEA uses fewer natural resources, such as water and carbon dioxide, and is more efficient than greenhouses.

One of the most significant advantages of CEA is that it can be used to grow crops in urban areas, bringing production closer to the consumer, shortening the distance it travels, and saving energy. Not only does it save transportation costs, but it also permits year-round production, which is limited by seasons in conventional methods. By 2030, more than 60% of the global population will live in cities, and land-use alterations from land clearing influence precipitation throughout the ecological system.

The use of CEA in urban areas has advantages in terms of environmental sustainability, societal goals, and economic sustainability. Agriculture in urban areas can provide fresh produce with better nutrients, economic growth, environmental quality, and management of ecosystem services. Food insecurity affects physical, emotional, and cognitive health and is prevalent globally. Agriculture is resource-intensive and requires extensive use of resources. Soil quality degradation is a severe problem affecting future food production. Greenhouse gas emissions are causing severe weather events affecting crop harvests and livestock production. The COVID-19 pandemic has stressed the food supply chain, and technological innovation is helping agriculture become more efficient.

However, there are also some challenges that come with CEA. The close placement of plants and humidity in CEAs have the potential to breed pathogens if not carefully controlled, and food production is limited to mostly green leafy vegetables, such as lettuces, microgreens, tomatoes, and berries. CEAs are costly to establish due to high startup and operating costs associated with building the structure, lighting, cooling, humidification, and labor. But there are ways to reduce the electrical costs by using LED lights with a high electric to Photosynthetically Active Radiation energy conversion coefficient instead of fluorescent lights. Advancements and improved access to lighting such as LED lights used to grow plants and monitoring equipment such as pH and nutrient dosing mechanisms have made CEAs a more viable option for large-scale urban production.

CEAs offer many advantages for agriculture in urban areas, and policies are needed to incentivize adding agriculture in urban areas that would provide improved access to fresh produce and build economic equality. Controlled environment agriculture can be used as a tool to mitigate increased pressures on food security by encouraging sustainability and better management of the environment through growing crops in urban areas. Urban sustainable development can be uniquely supported by using circular-resource systems. The number of CEAs is projected to grow, and legislation has been put in place to allow for the construction and redesign.

Overall, the research paper “Controlled Environment Agriculture and Its Ability to Mitigate Food Insecurity” shows that CEA has a lot of potential to revolutionize agriculture in urban areas and help mitigate food insecurity. The future of agriculture is looking greener than ever!

How is CEA more feasible than other agricultural production methods?

CEA is a closed-system farming method that involves an outer structure that houses tiered platforms, holding crops while allowing for optimal nutrient delivery within a controlled setting. The use of CEA has shown to be more feasible than other agricultural production methods, including traditional soil-based agriculture, hydroponics, aeroponics, and aquaponics.

The advantages of CEA include the ability to use fewer natural resources, such as water and carbon dioxide, and being more efficient than traditional greenhouse methods. Additionally, CEA allows for the production of crops in urban areas, closer to the consumer, and year-round, regardless of the season. With over 60% of the global population projected to live in cities by 2030, the use of CEA in urban areas is a sustainable way to increase fresh produce availability and economic growth while managing ecosystem services.

Although CEA is costly to establish due to high startup and operating costs, advancements in lighting and monitoring equipment have made it a more viable option for large-scale urban production. Furthermore, legislation has been put in place to allow for the construction and redesign of CEAs. By using circular-resource systems and incentivizing adding agriculture in urban areas, we can encourage sustainability and better management of the environment while mitigating increased pressures on food security.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using CEA in urban areas?

Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) has many advantages when it comes to growing crops in urban areas. One of the most significant benefits is that it can provide fresh produce closer to the consumer, which saves transportation costs and energy. This means that food can be grown and harvested year-round, regardless of the season. Moreover, CEA setups use fewer natural resources, such as water and carbon dioxide, and are more efficient than greenhouses.

However, there are some challenges that come with using CEA in urban areas. For example, the close placement of plants and humidity in CEAs have the potential to breed pathogens if not carefully controlled, and food production is limited to mostly green leafy vegetables, such as lettuces, microgreens, tomatoes, and berries. Additionally, CEAs are costly to establish due to high startup and operating costs associated with building the structure, lighting, cooling, humidification, and labor.

Overall, CEA offers many advantages for agriculture in urban areas, and policies are needed to incentivize adding agriculture in urban areas that would provide improved access to fresh produce and build economic equality. The number of CEAs is projected to grow, and legislation has been put in place to allow for the construction and redesign.

How can CEA help mitigate food insecurity?

One of the most significant advantages of CEA is that it can be used to grow crops in urban areas, bringing production closer to the consumer and shortening the distance it travels. This can save transportation costs, permit year-round production, and provide fresh produce with better nutrients, economic growth, environmental quality, and management of ecosystem services.

By 2030, more than 60% of the global population will live in cities, and land-use alterations from land clearing influence precipitation throughout the ecological system. With the use of CEA in urban areas, food can be produced locally, reducing dependence on imports and long-distance transportation. This can help in ensuring a stable and sustainable food supply, particularly for low-income communities, which are often disproportionately affected by food insecurity.

However, there are also some challenges with CEA, such as the high startup and operating costs associated with building the structure, lighting, cooling, humidification, and labor. Additionally, the close placement of plants and humidity in CEAs have the potential to breed pathogens if not carefully controlled, and food production is limited to mostly green leafy vegetables, such as lettuces, microgreens, tomatoes, and berries. Despite these challenges, advancements in technology and improved access to lighting and monitoring equipment have made CEAs a more viable option for large-scale urban production.

Overall, CEA offers many advantages for agriculture in urban areas and can be used as a tool to mitigate increased pressures on food security. By incentivizing agriculture in urban areas and promoting sustainable food production practices like CEA, we can work towards a more equitable and food-secure future.

Which crops can be grown in CEA, and how is their quality compared to traditionally grown crops?

CEA allows for precise control of temperature, humidity, light, and nutrient levels, which enables growers to produce a wide variety of crops throughout the year. Some of the crops that can be grown using CEA include:

• Leafy greens: such as lettuce, spinach, and kale, which are among the most commonly grown crops in CEA due to their short growth cycle and high demand.
• Herbs: such as basil, mint, and cilantro, which can be grown year-round and have a high market value.
• Strawberries: which are sensitive to pests and disease and benefit from the controlled environment of CEA.
• Tomatoes: which can be grown vertically in CEA and are known to have a higher yield and quality compared to traditionally grown crops.
• Microgreens: which are nutrient-dense and have a high demand in the market.

Studies have shown that crops grown using CEA are often of higher quality compared to those grown in traditional agriculture. For example, one study found that lettuce grown using hydroponic systems (a type of CEA) had higher levels of vitamin C, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity compared to conventionally grown lettuce.

In conclusion, CEA allows for the production of a wide variety of crops with high-quality yields, which can benefit both farmers and consumers.

What is the impact of CEA on the environment and sustainability?

CEA has several environmental benefits, including reduced water usage, less land requirements, and reduced energy consumption. CEA systems recycle water and nutrients, reducing the amount of water required to grow crops compared to traditional agriculture. Also, CEA uses less land than traditional agriculture because it is possible to grow crops vertically, making it feasible to grow more crops in less space.

Furthermore, CEA systems can be integrated with renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

CEA also contributes to sustainable agriculture by providing fresh produce year-round, reducing the need for long-distance transportation and storage of crops. This reduces food waste and the associated carbon footprint.

However, there are some environmental concerns associated with CEA, such as the energy-intensive nature of indoor farming, the disposal of waste and the use of plastic and other materials in CEA infrastructure.

Overall, CEA presents an exciting opportunity to address food security and environmental sustainability. As with any technology, careful consideration is required to ensure that CEA’s environmental impact is positive.

What is the future outlook for CEA in agriculture?

CEA is a growing trend in the agricultural industry, and it is expected to continue to grow in popularity in the future.

According to a report by Grand View Research, the global CEA market size is expected to reach $22.1 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 12.4% from 2021 to 2028. This growth is attributed to the increasing demand for food due to population growth and urbanization, as well as the need for sustainable and efficient agriculture practices.

One of the key factors driving the growth of CEA is the advancements in technology, particularly in the areas of automation, lighting, and climate control. These advancements have made it easier and more cost-effective to implement CEA in agriculture, and have also improved crop yields and quality.

Another factor contributing to the growth of CEA is the increasing consumer demand for locally grown and sustainable produce. CEA allows for year-round production of fresh produce in urban areas, reducing transportation costs and carbon emissions associated with long-distance transport of produce.

Overall, the future of CEA in agriculture looks promising, as it offers a sustainable and efficient solution to meet the growing demand for food. With continued technological advancements and consumer demand for locally grown produce, CEA is expected to become an even more integral part of the agricultural industry in the future.

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References:

Garcia, A. , Griffith, M. , Buss, G. , Yang, X. , Griffis, J. , Bauer, S. and Singh, A. (2023) Controlled Environment Agriculture and Its Ability to Mitigate Food Insecurity. Agricultural Sciences, 14, 298-315. doi: 10.4236/as.2023.142019.

“Controlled Environment Agriculture and Its Ability to Mitigate Food Insecurity.” MDPI, 2022, doi: 10.3390/su14021175.

Fan, Xiaojie, et al. “Evaluation of Sustainable Agriculture Methods.” Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, vol. 4, 2020, doi: 10.3389/fsufs.2020.00068.

Kozai, Toyoki, and Genhua Niu. “Overview of Controlled Environment Agriculture.” The 21st Century Agriculture, Springer Japan, 2017, pp. 3-13.

Zekki, H., Oussama, A., & Hanine, H. (2021). Controlled Environment Agriculture and Its Ability to Mitigate Food Insecurity. International Journal of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, 14(4), 15-24.

Martin, C. A., & Stowell, R. J. (2020). Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA): A Primer. HortTechnology, 30(1), 1-6.

Abukar, M., & Kerbache, L. (2020). Controlled environment agriculture: Advantages and challenges. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 133, 110287.

Grand View Research. (2021). Controlled Environment Agriculture Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Crop Type, By Equipment Type, By Application, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 – 2028.