Climate change issues: Is vertical farming the answer?

Carys

Member
Climate change is a pressing challenge to current and future food production. To continue to feed a growing population, it is clear that food production methods will have to adapt to become more resilient. I am studying for my MRes in Urban Agriculture at Harper Adams University. I am keenly interested in exploring the role of vertical farming in climate change mitigation and adaptation and its role in the future of food production. The link below leads to a short survey that explores views on climate change, conventional agriculture, and vertical farming. What's your opinion? You don't need to know about vertical farming to fill it out and it will take you less than 15 minutes! Your participation would be much appreciated.
https://harper-adams.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/climate-change-and-uk-agriculture-copy
 

Ffermer Bach

Member
Livestock Farmer
this is what I wrote in the comments section

Agriculture has the opportunity to seriously help with reducing and counteracting climate change, with sequestration of atmospheric carbon into the soil. This needs changes to how we farm; regenerative agriculture and Gabe Browns five principles
no-till or minimal tillage, keeping the ground covered, diversity in plant and animal species, keeping living roots in the soil as much as possible, and the importance of integrating animals.

The biggest threat to this happening, is the multinational corporations do not want this to happen (as Gabe uses no pesticides, fungicides or fertliser yet has 20% higher yields) and eating stew and potatoes gives little profit to food manufacturers, where as a Vegan meal is ultra processed (so gives high profits to food manafacturers).

Multi national companies are trying to "take over" food production (stopping seed saving, patenting seeds genomes to use with roundup etc), removing animal ag (Impossible Foods etc). Of course all this will mean a continuing drop in soil organic matter and no carbon sequestration, but multinational corporations have no conscience (you only have to look at the Tobacco playbook) and these companies have the money to lobby government AND push ideas on social media (look at how the "meat free monday" etc is gaining traction).

This book gives an idea of what happens to a civilisation when it takes a wrong turn https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/...Pk1Uj54X7v8S36z47CUJLAiEroWdubfoaAjJPEALw_wcB
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
Done. One of the more interesting surveys I have done recently.

Vertical farming is not the answer - it will help & is a more efficient use of space and water, but is currently ruled out of bulk food production on a cost basis.
 

Carys

Member
Done. One of the more interesting surveys I have done recently.

Vertical farming is not the answer - it will help & is a more efficient use of space and water, but is currently ruled out of bulk food production on a cost basis.
Thank you! Great to hear your opinion, this helps massively!
 

Carys

Member
this is what I wrote in the comments section

Agriculture has the opportunity to seriously help with reducing and counteracting climate change, with sequestration of atmospheric carbon into the soil. This needs changes to how we farm; regenerative agriculture and Gabe Browns five principles
no-till or minimal tillage, keeping the ground covered, diversity in plant and animal species, keeping living roots in the soil as much as possible, and the importance of integrating animals.

The biggest threat to this happening, is the multinational corporations do not want this to happen (as Gabe uses no pesticides, fungicides or fertliser yet has 20% higher yields) and eating stew and potatoes gives little profit to food manufacturers, where as a Vegan meal is ultra processed (so gives high profits to food manafacturers).

Multi national companies are trying to "take over" food production (stopping seed saving, patenting seeds genomes to use with roundup etc), removing animal ag (Impossible Foods etc). Of course all this will mean a continuing drop in soil organic matter and no carbon sequestration, but multinational corporations have no conscience (you only have to look at the Tobacco playbook) and these companies have the money to lobby government AND push ideas on social media (look at how the "meat free monday" etc is gaining traction).

This book gives an idea of what happens to a civilisation when it takes a wrong turn https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/...Pk1Uj54X7v8S36z47CUJLAiEroWdubfoaAjJPEALw_wcB
This level of detail is fantastic. Thank you very much!
 

Carys

Member
I started the survey but could not complete it.

You are assuming it is going to get warmer.

Your survey is not relevant to people that think the next 30 years are going to get cooler.
That is a shame. Thank you for your feedback, it has been noted!
 

PSQ

Member
Arable Farmer
Replacing soil, natural rainfall and sunlight from open sky with concrete, steel, glass, tarmac, plastic and the required massive infrastructure for heat, light, water storage, mechanisation, housing development for intensive cheap exploited labour etc etc.

Of course it will all be done in the name of 'climate change and the environment', but ultimately it will end up as more Green Washed corporate greed, exploiting 'the many' to benefit the 'absentee few'.

Your futuristic dream is my darkest dystopian nightmare. Please be careful what you wish for.


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SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 79 42.9%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 63 34.2%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.3%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 6 3.3%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,287
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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