FARMS OF THE FUTURE?
Take the elevator down to the basement of an old factory in Liverpool, England, and suddenly you enter a different world: There in front of you are long green walls of lettuces and herbs, all growing one above the other in 3-meter high towers that have been placed side by side. The vegetables are being grown in small quantities of water to which the necessary nutrients have been added. Light is provided by special low-cost electric lighting. Jens Thomas and Paul Myers, the two scientists who set up the Liverpool project, believe that farms like this in city buildings could play an important role in the future of agriculture.(lines 1–7)
In the USA and Asia, entrepreneurs are planning to develop urban farms on rooftops and in empty rooms in office buildings. Like Thomas and Myers, they see such farms as a way of meeting the rising demand for food as the world's population increases. There is considerable evidence that conventional farming methods will not be able to meet that demand. According to a report by the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), overuse of chemicals has led to a deterioration in the quality of existing farmland. Within just a few years, the report notes, over 25% of the fields will be unsuitable for growing crops.(lines 8–14)
Some experts believe that solutions will soon be available. "Robots are currently being developed that will significantly increase the amount of crops being sent to market," says agronomist Greg Dillinger. "Unlike older farm machines, they can pick fruit and vegetables without crushing them." In addition, he says, robots are being introduced that can deliver the exact amount of chemicals needed by crops, thereby preventing further damage to farmland. As for urban farms, Dillinger does not believe they could have a significant role in preventing a food crisis: "Small quantities of a few crops is all they will ever be able to provide."(lines 15–21)
Not surprisingly, advocates of urban farming reject the criticism. "Almost anything can be grown on these farms," says Robert Jackson, a student working at the Liverpool project. "But it makes sense to grow crops like lettuce, which rot quickly. In fact, some 30% of lettuce grown on conventional farms don't even reach the shops for this reason. Our solution means a much shorter distance to consumers' tables." Conventional farms, admits Jackson, will always be our main source of crops. Nevertheless, he is optimistic that urban farms will eventually provide a wide enough range of vegetables to make a useful contribution to the food supply.(lines 22–28)