Vertical Farming

As cities around the world grow larger, finding enough space to grow food is becoming more and more difficult. One new answer to this problem is "vertical farming." Instead of growing crops in wide, flat fields, farmers grow them on shelves that are placed one above another inside a building. In this clever way, a small piece of land can produce （ 1 ） a much larger field outdoors.

Vertical farms have several important advantages. Because the plants are grown indoors, farmers can control the temperature, the light, and the water all year round. （ 2 ）, they can grow fresh vegetables even in winter, or in places with very poor weather. The plants also need far less water than those grown outside, because any water that is not used by the plants can be collected and used again the next day.

There are, however, some problems to solve. Vertical farms use a great deal of electricity for their special lights, and this electricity can be expensive. （ 3 ）, most vertical farms today grow only small, quick-growing plants such as lettuce and herbs, rather than rice or wheat. Even so, as cities continue to grow and the technology improves, many people believe that this kind of farming will become far more common in the future. Some companies are already running large vertical farms inside old factories and warehouses near city centers. Because the food is grown so close to where people live, it does not have to be carried long distances by truck, which saves fuel and keeps the vegetables fresh.