- Title: Food of the future: London air raid shelter to underground farm
- Date: 28th November 2022
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (NOVEMBER 24, 2022) ROWS OF PLANTS GROWING IN UNDERGROUND FARM WITH LED LIGHTING VARIOUS OF PLANTS GROWING IN TRAYS / LED LIGHTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ZERO CARBON FARMS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, OLIVIA O'BRIEN, SAYING: ''So Growing Underground is the first farm for Zero Carbon Farms and what we do here is we sustainably grow fresh produce in former World War Two air raid shelters, and we grow this both for the fresh produce industry and also the extraction market. And the way that we do it is we use renewable energy, we use recirculating water, and we're able to grow the crops 365 days a year with little impact on the environment.'' O'BRIEN CHECKING PLANTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ZERO CARBON FARMS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, OLIVIA O'BRIEN, SAYING: ''Farming and traditional farming has a lot of challenges, not least of all because of climate change, inconsistent weather, supply chain issues. You know, we've seen all of that really highlighted over this last summer when it was really, really hot, you know, with the war in Ukraine, with the pandemic. And also we have the challenge that we're going have another 2 billion people on the planet by 2050. And we ultimately need to develop more ways of growing more food to feed the world. And we don't have more farm space to do it and we don't have another planet to do it on. So we essentially have to develop alternative, and not methods that are going to replace traditional farming, but really methods that are going to support traditional farming in producing more food for the world.'' ROWS OF PLANTS / LED LIGHTS BEING TURNED ON VARIOUS OF PLANTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ZERO CARBON FARMS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, OLIVIA O'BRIEN, SAYING: ''We don't use soil, so we don't get agricultural runoff as well as that. You know, because of our location, we have significantly less food miles because we're based in the centre of London and we're not importing and exporting crops. And also because of the incredibly controlled environment, you know, we are 33 metres under, under the high street and we've got all this insulation, which means that we have very steady temperature all year round. The crops essentially have their perfect growing environment all day. All day long, all year long. And so that means that their yields and their efficiencies of their growing times are as optimised as possible. And that also means that you get incredibly nutritious, very, very tasty crops that, you know, have a very long shelf life. So you get less food waste because of things like that.'' VARIOUS OF WORKER HARVESTING MICRO CORIANDER FROM GROWING BED (SOUNDBITE) (English) FARM'S HEAD GROWER, TOMMASO VERMEIR, SAYING: ''So our water usage will go anywhere from 70 to 90 per cent less than a conventional farm. The reason for that is that we recycle a lot of our water.'' LABEL READING (English): ''PURPLE RADISH'' LED LIGHTS BEING TURNED ON (SOUNDBITE) (English) FARM'S HEAD GROWER, TOMMASO VERMEIR, SAYING: ''You know, the future is very, very bright for this industry. I think that what really is kind of going to be the pivotal or a fundamental pivot point is the right application of technology as well as, you know, a broader kind of a broader range of research into different cultivation styles, different parameter controls. And yeah, I mean, I'm very excited. I'm looking forward to it.'' VARIOUS OF WORKERS PACKING PRODUCE VARIOUS OF CORIANDER IN PACKING
- Embargoed: 12th December 2022 06:55
- Keywords: Britain World War Two shelter climate change enviroment sustainable farming underground farm vertical farming
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: UK
- Topics: Climate Adaptation and Solution,Climate Change,Environment,Europe,General News
- Reuters ID: LVA001207624112022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:In an underground World War Two air raid shelter where London tube trains can be heard rattling overhead, aromatic coriander leaves tilt towards the pink glow of LED bulbs. This is how farms will look in the future.
Zero Carbon Farms grows herbs and salads in Clapham, south London, a densely populated area with no room for conventional agriculture.
But 30 metres below ground there is a kilometre of tunnels, and technology has made farming here a reality.
Seven years after its first harvest the company will next year double its growing space, responding to strong demand for its peashoots, rocket and watercress from major British retailers like Marks & Spencer and local restaurants.
They like the freshness of the produce, which can make it onto a diner's plate within two hours of harvesting, and its arrival into the city without racking up emissions by air or from a long journey.
"The future is very, very bright for this industry and I think that what really is going to be the fundamental pivot point is the right application of technology," said the farm's head grower Tommaso Vermeir.
Vertical farming, the name given to the production of crops in a series of stacked levels often in a controlled environment, is a fast-growing industry with billions of dollars being pumped into to projects across the globe.
It is seen as a major solution to the food security challenge posed by population expansion at a time when climate change and geopolitics threaten supply.
''Ultimately need to develop more ways of growing more food to feed the world. And we don't have more farm space to do it and we don't have another planet to do it on," said Zero Carbon Farm's business development director Olivia O'Brien.
Zero Carbon Farms reckons it has an edge over the dozens of other vertical farm projects springing up in Britain, because of its sustainable credentials and its years of experience, which means yields in the new farm space will be much higher.
Seeds are sowed on carpet offcuts and although there is no soil on this farm, workers do wear a uniform which includes the classic farming accessory of wellington boots.
The farm's subterranean location means inbuilt insulation from the cold.
It also has private wiring bringing in a energy supply from renewable sources, plus it uses 70-90% less water and 95% less fertiliser than typical agriculture, as well as growing all year round at faster rates.
(Production: Ben Makori, Aiden Nulty) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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