First vertical farm opens in Singapore

The first commercial-scale vertical farm has opened in the tiny, densely-populated city of Singapore, with the aim of decreasing dependence on food imports

Singapore, which lies at the end of the Malay Peninsula, is just 710 square kilometres, almost all of which is city. That leaves little space to grow vegetables. As a result, the city currently only produces seven percent of its vegetables locally, forcing it to buy from other countries.

The vertical farm, which has been developed by Sky Green Farms, consists of 120 aluminium towers, each extending up to 9 metres in height. It can produce 500kg of three kinds of vegetables per day, all of which are sold in the local FairPrice Finest supermarkets. However, they do cost a little more than imported vegetables.

Source: Wired

The idea of vertical farming has been on various drawing-boards for some time, and now its here, finally realized in the flesh in Singapore. All in all, I see this as a positive development. It can help to feed hungry populations in densely-packed meagacities, which will account for much of the growth in population over the coming years. It can revitalize down-and-out urban areas -- similar ideas have been proposed for Detroit, for example. It can cut wasteful food transportation costs and contribute to more efficient agricultural practices. It can help to reduce overfarming on badly-exhausted rural lands. And I think it looks cool. . Although the cost is a bit high at the moment, with luck it will come down over time, as people learn better what works and what doesn't. Good going, Singapore.

I swear that if you didnt call it "vertical farming" I would be calling it "shelving vegetables"