Thanks to our planet's looming population increase, set to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050, the math around sustainable food production becomes startling. Experts predict we'll need 70% more food to sustain humanity.
Urban vertical farming has emerged as an innovative solution by growing crops in stacked layers within highly controlled environments. These systems use less land, water, and pesticides, with shipping containers offering a sustainable, space-efficient answer to the global food crisis.
Eddie Rees, Conversions Manager at Cleveland Containers, a leading supplier of containers for businesses across multiple sectors, says: "Repurposed shipping containers are rewriting the rules of farming. Their durability and modular design make them ideal for urban vertical farms, enabling sustainable, year-round fresh produce in urban settings while optimising limited space – scaling up or down, based on demand. Unlike traditional greenhouses, container farms are also highly insulated and can be outfitted with vertical racks, LED lighting, and climate-control systems."
Rees says: "A single 40ft container can produce as much food as an acre of traditional farmland, and a massive advantage of container farms is their scalability. In urban areas, where space is at a premium, shipping containers fit seamlessly. And you can start small with one unit and expand as demand grows. They're an efficient, scalable way to bring fresh produce closer to the people who need it."
Read more at Farming Life