Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) refers to the practice of growing crops in a closed, indoor environment and under controlled conditions such as greenhouses or vertical farms, where temperature, humidity, light, and other factors can be precisely monitored. CEA offers numerous benefits and solutions for both society and the environment, making it a smart approach to sustainable agriculture.
CEA can be done both in-soil and out-of-soil, using (stone wool) substrates. The largest impact and advantages are achieved by out-of-soil growing using stone wool substrates. They do not buffer water and nutrients and are extremely steerable, giving roots exactly what they need.
CEA brings about notable benefits in terms of resource conservation. One of the key advantages is water saving. Traditional farming methods often require vast amounts of water, whereas CEA employs efficient irrigation systems and recycling techniques, minimizing water usage. This efficient water use within CEA is particularly crucial in regions facing water scarcity or drought conditions. Additionally, CEA enables the reduction of fertiliser usage and plant protection products compared to conventional farming. The closed environment in CEA minimises the need for interventions, making it a more sustainable and eco-friendlier alternative.
In addition to these benefits, CEA offers significant other environmental advantages. By cultivating crops indoors, CEA reduces the reliance on fertile land, enabling food production in urban areas and minimizing land transformation for agriculture expansion, leaving more land to rewild for biodiversity. The controlled environment also provides protection against extreme weather conditions, pests, and diseases, reducing crop losses and increasing overall productivity. An extensive assessment of the benefits of high tech CEA within the context of the UN SDGs was performed by Wageningen University – showing CEA outperforming other systems on 7 out of 8 assessed SDGs (source: Zhou et al., Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 2021).
CEA is being adopted by an increasing number of countries worldwide, contributing to food security and self-sufficiency in regions that are prone to climate challenges or limited arable land. The expansion of CEA has resulted in an expansion of hectares dedicated to year-round cultivation in an efficient manner, ensuring a stable, local food supply.
By embracing and investing in controlled environment agriculture, we can work towards a more sustainable and resilient future for our food production systems.
