Food supply

Introduction The premier adverts for food processing, fast food, and soft drinks industries are enormous enterprises. 3% of all beverages consumed in the world are coca cola products. McDonald’s accounts for 7% of the US’s total potato production, contributing to…

Introduction Vertical farming refers to growing crops in stacked trays or platforms. Predominantly housed indoors, vertical farms require lighting and control systems for temperature, humidity, and air circulation that are autonomous from the natural environment. Though greenhouses are slowly adopting…

Introduction Farming-associated activities are a leading cause of environmental degradation. From the use of agrichemicals, and clearing of forests to make way for cropland, to the degradation of soil due to unhealthy farming practices, agriculture has so far grossly failed…

Greenhouse farming is a form of Controlled environment agriculture, more commonly known as CEA. CEA may mean different things to different agricultural practices. The overriding definition, however, is that CEA seeks to control the way plants are exposed to the…

Since 1961, the global consumption of beef has been increasing at an average of 1.1% each year. Consumption of other types of meat has also been increasing at a significant rate. Compared to the average population growth of 1.6% annually…

Introduction Irrigation has helped the Great Plains spring into life, propelling the US to become one of the world’s biggest producers of grains, with a net surplus of food. The center-pivot irrigation system has been instrumental in converting land that…

Introduction Outdoor farming refers to the cultivation of land without the assistance of a controlled environment. By controlled environment, we mean a system that can help the farmer control temperature, humidity, lighting, and substrate (soil). Outdoor farming can be reliant…

Introduction Some crops grow well in woodlands, requiring moderate access to sunlight to do well. Such crops include raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries, pecans, hazelnuts, and currants. These crops still need to grow in soil, at least for the foreseeable future, due…