Can the optimisation of pop-up agriculture in remote communities help feed the world?

Abstract

Threats to global food security have generated the need for novel food production techniques 3 to feed an ever-expanding population with ever-declining land resources. Hydroponic 4 cultivation has been long recognised as a reliable, resilient and resource-use-efficient 5 alternative to soil-based agricultural practices. The aspiration for highly efficient systems and 6 even city-based vertical farms is starting to become realised using innovations such as 7 aeroponics and LED lighting technology. However, the ultimate challenge for any crop 8 production system is to be able to operate and help sustain human life in remote and extreme 9 locations, including the polar regions on Earth, and in space. Here we explore past research 10 and crop growth in such remote areas, and the scope to improve on the systems used in 11 these areas to date. We introduce biointensive agricultural systems and 3D growing 12 environments, intercropping in hydroponics and the production of multiple crops from single 13 growth systems. To reflect the flexibility and adaptability of these approaches to different 14 environments we have called this type of enclosed system 'pop-up agriculture'. The vision 15 here is built on sustainability, maximising yield from the smallest growing footprint, adopting 16 the principles of a circular economy, using local resources and eliminating waste. We explore 17 plant companions in intercropping systems to supply a diversity of plant foods. We argue 18 that it is time to consume all edible components of plants grown, highlighting that nutritious plant parts are often wasted that could provide vitamins and antioxidants. Supporting human 20 life via crop production in remote and isolated communities necessitates new levels of 21 efficiency, eliminating waste, minimising environmental impacts and trying to wean away 22 from our dependence on fossil fuels. This aligns well with tandem research emerging from 23 economically developing countries where lower technology hydroponic approaches are 24 being trialled reinforcing the need for 'cross-pollination' of ideas and research development 25 on pop-up agriculture that will see benefits across a range of environments. 27 1. Introduction 28 An expanding global population is the root cause of fundamental environmental 29 challenges faced today. Global population estimates predict a 35% increase from 7.3 billion 30 to 11.2 billion by 2100 (UNDESA, 2014). With increases in population come amplified 31 anthropogenic pressures on the environment (Harte, 2007), increased pollution (Cole and 32 Neumayer, 2004) and reduced per capita land and resource availability (Sheikh, 2006; 33 Vörösmarty et al., 2000). The cumulative impact of these issues is likely to negatively affect 34 the sustainability of global resources and in turn the longevity of the human population. 35 By 2050 it is estimated that 66% of the global population will live in urban regions 36 (UNDESA, 2014). In the UK, the Office for National Statistics documented an 8.1% increase 37 in urban populations b...

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