Vertical Farming & Future Food Production
This article was written by Anh Vo.
By 2025, the our world will need to produce roughly 70% more food to feed our growing population. Yet at the same time we face soil degradation, shrinking arable land, and climate related disruptions! Thats where vertical farming—growing crops in stacked layers indoors using hydroponics or aeroponics—comes into the picture.
Research shows that vertical farms can produce 10 to 20 times the yield per acre compared with their open field counterparts. This is due to multi-layer stacking, year round harvests, and controlled environments. Some reports even claim up to 50-100 times greater crop yield per square-foot in the best vertical farming systems. Definitely, big numbers.
Water and land use benefits are a major contributor to this. A news article about a vertical farm at Illinois State University notes their system uses up to 95% less water than traditional field agriculture. With the rise in urbanisation and climate stress, producing food locally indoors (near consumption centers) also means that we are able to lower the transportation emissions and less vulnerability to extreme weather.
With that being said, vertical farming does come with real challenges. For example, indoor systems often demand high energy requirements for lighting, heating, cooling, and infrastructure. They require substantial capital investment and careful design to be cost effective and truly sustainable. One academic review warns that while land use decreases, the energy and other infrastructure costs must be factored in when determining the net benefits of this type of farming.
However, as a topic of study, vertical farming offers a rich intersection of biology, engineering, sustainability, and entrepreneurship. Imagine designing a mini vertical farm in a school greenhouse, monitoring yields, water usage, and energy input to explore business models for urban agriculture. These aren’t just science experiments, but potential solutions for tomorrow’s food systems.
Ultimately, vertical farming isn’t perfect, but it could become a major piece of the future food puzzle. Especially, if paired with renewable energy, efficient designs, and local distribution. For communities, schools and young innovators, it offers a chance to grow food differently. Upward, inside out, and consciously.
https://news.illinoisstate.edu/2025/07/vertical-farm-grows-sustainable-food-production-student-learning-opportunities/
https://www.edengreen.com/blog-collection/vertical-farming-crop-yield-per-acre
https://academic.oup.com/plphys/article/198/3/kiaf056/8104144
https://www.ars.usda.gov/oc/utm/vertical-farming-no-longer-a-futuristic-concept/