Is this the end of vertical¹ farming? 垂直农业是否已走到尽头？

 

　　与传统的室外农耕相比，垂直农业用地面积相对少得多，因此它最初被视为一种节省空间的创新种植方式。虽然人们曾认为这个种植方式前景大好，但如今它正面临威胁。垂直农场上的作物是在没有阳光的受控环境下、依靠LED灯光生长的，因此从一定程度上看，能源成本的上升导致了垂直农业的现状不容乐观。垂直农业是否已经走到了尽头？本期节目围绕这个话题展开讨论。

　　词汇：farming 农耕

　　Why do farmers grow crops outside in fields when we can stack them vertically²? The idea of vertical farming was first proposed in 1999. It was seen as a way to save space, reduce air miles and transform old and abandoned buildings, like warehouses³. In 2021, Fortune Business Insights valued the global vertical farming market at 3.47 billion dollars. Now, however, this industry is under threat, partly due to rising energy costs.

　　According to the magazine Science Focus, vertical farming gives ten times the yield of conventional outdoor farming. However, in order for crops to grow using this method, plants are placed in a controlled environment, grown not under the Sun, but under LED lights and watered with recycled water pumped on a closed-loop system.

　　Unfortunately, energy prices have risen across the globe. Therefore, this reliance on electricity has meant the last few years have not been easy for the industry. Cindy van Rijswick, from the Dutch research firm RaboResearch, has estimated that operational costs for a vertical farm are around 15% higher now compared to 18 months ago. Infarm, Europe's largest vertical farming company, made around 500 employees redundant⁴ back in November 2022 because they needed to downsize. They blamed higher operating costs due to energy increases as one reason for the layoffs⁵.

　　Another issue related to the cost-of-living crisis and affecting vertical farming is the type of produce grown. This includes herbs such as basil, as well as salad leaves and leafy greens. Compared to traditionally farmed ingredients, like onions and carrots, these products are more expensive so could be less in demand as consumers watch their spending more.

　　So, it seems a future with food grown under LED lights is looking less and less bright.

　　词汇表

　　crop 作物，庄稼

　　field 田地

　　stack 叠放，摞起来

　　vertical farming 垂直农业

　　air mile （食物）里程

　　warehouse 仓库

　　yield 产量

　　controlled environment 受控的环境

　　LED light 发光二极管（LED）灯

　　pump 用泵输送

　　closed-loop 闭环的

　　reliance 依赖

　　operational cost 运营成本

　　make redundant 裁员

　　downsize （公司或组织）减员

　　layoff （因工作岗位不足的）解雇

　　cost-of-living crisis 生活成本危机

　　produce 农产品

　　basil 罗勒

　　salad leaves 拌沙拉常用的菜叶

　　leafy greens 绿叶蔬菜

　　farmed 耕种的，种植的

 

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