Can Vertical Farming Solve Asia’s Food Crisis?

Singapore has only 1% of its land available for agriculture, so it imports 90% of its food requirements. The government is looking to curb this dependence on outside food sources under a programme titled ‘30 by 30,’ which aims to allow Singapore to grow 30% of its produce by the year 2030. Local vertical farms like Sustenir are at the forefront of bringing about this change. VICE visits the sustainable start-up to understand the future of food.
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[@dayspoiler4608]

lol the cameraman couldn't get his head around the tough white balance in the hydro room

[@saanvitripathi1037]

If they could use biodegradable or sum type of eco friendly bag instead of plastic, it would be amazing

[@yengsabio5315]

Bioplastics will become a norm probably within this decade. Plastics are actually not the evil here per se. It's how people improperly dispose them that is more evil. #Plasticphobia

[@jasonnguyen6050]

@@yengsabio5315 What do you mean. Its also the type of plastic that can be recycle. Most plastic are garbage anyways.

[@justinlau1187]

Reusable bags are a more straightforward solution.

[@SLVperso]

Everything is clean and suddenly, they put them in a plastic bag. Fail.

[@SLVperso]

@GamingTV You know that the vast majority of countries do not sell their salads in a plastic bag.

[@SLVperso]

@GamingTV about bacteria you have to prove it. Because on my side I know Portugal, Italy, and France (I lived in both of them) ... and in this country we live way longer than in US for example. On the other side I know that plastic bag pollution is a big issue in east-asian country (Japan and china First). And of course not vegetable must not be sealed, even cut they are still breathing. In a bag you just destroy them faster (don't believe me, just try at your home).

[@TroyKnox]

@GamingTV not even remotely true.

[@TroyKnox]

@GamingTV It's totally normal for most places outside of the US & UK to sell by weight without plastic. People have survived quite well before this type of packaging was rolled out by the big supermarkets.

[@TarrahKristine]

YES

[@dou40006]

Very interesting, the main issue is the cost in $ and energy as you use artificial light

[@newmoore4894]

7 dollars for 150 grams of kale, yikes!

[@andyginterblues2961]

Great. Next breakthrough would be to develop a strain of kale that doesn't taste like crap.

[@haruspex1-50]

Cotton candy flavoured kale 🍭

[@409raul]

hahahahaha

[@halleffect5439]

If it doesnt taste good its not the fault of the food. Its the fault of the human gens making it taste bad.

[@leonlim4253]

Any nutrient test ?Compare with traditionally grown crop.

[@ilsunnylo3562]

In summary, Just vertical hydroponics.

[@geoffreyrolinjacquemyns1248]

Well yeah but you can't deny that the fact they could make a profit out of it in a city environment is a nice leap

[@GRNM-ro6hu]

Its that easy

[@jhunt5578]

You just need some biofuel, ground source, renewable type fuel for this system and it's perfect.

[@jackieOAT]

I love kale chips but is it going to feed the planet? What's the cost and calorie output per energy input? Can we grow potatoes, rice, beans and wheat rather than lettuce?

[@bastardstego]

If you're still interested in hearing about vertical farming I highly recommend Exa Cognition's videos about the topic. He talked about if vertical farming could grow staple crops or basically anything besides just lettuce. Here's the first video! kzbin.info/www/bejne/mp-mgqiteNmkgMk

[@jackielynjarina2774]

no they can't it cost too much In electricity but in a few years maybe the new technology advancements in batteries n solar power then will change and wind turbines

[@newmoore4894]

As a homegrower I have come to realize that the most cost effective is microgreens and herbs like basil. The tomatoes I've grown have cost a bit more than the expensive ones in the store. Lettuce and other leafy greens are cheaper to grow at home if you cut a few leaves of each plants at a time. It comes down to how effiicently you use the space and the price of the electricity. These companies may have cheaper electricity bills (per watt) but management, planning, packaging, taxes and salaries will shoot the price way up. That's probably why they grow high end strawberries. In my home country of Sweden a company sells lettuce and kale for almost the same price as fresh tuna, which is quite absurd if you ask me. Best to grow them yourself.

[@sirawesomenessi1796]

@@newmoore4894 You've peaked my interest. Mind if I ask what your local cost per Kwh is for electricity? I'm working towards building a system myself.

[@newmoore4894]

@@sirawesomenessi1796 About 0.15 cents per kWh. I don't know how it is for big companies.

[@deshaunjackson8188]

Did anyone see how much that bag of kale was compared to the others. It was a 7 and the others were a 2.

[@arifindobson]

I though Shawn Mendes was in Japan, but actually he is in Singapore doing farm stuff, new music about Kale-nyorita coming soon.

[@slog_000]

yeah, cyberpunk Singapore is real

[@gnarmarmilla]

Reminded why I love Vice more than traditional news...thanks guys. Man, thank God for these growers. May God bless them.

[@lifelinerodz7703]

i hope they open source the hydroponics, so other can replicate it, if so, we can also have a solution in hunger and malnutrition by over producing vegies, maybe, just a thought.

[@melissamenchaca5489]

I’m studying Sustainability so this was a great jumping off point . Thanks Vice!

[@ArnattKlinsong]

You also cannot get the beneficial microbes that comes with growing plant and vegetable using soil. Basically lacking probiotics replenishment for the gut.

[@megaagentj2248]

most gut bacteria you start out with from breast milk, plus this leaves off all bacteria that cna kill the plant as well

[@pauloj.1428]

Its a nice direction ... but maintaining it seems preety ecpensive the lights n room or oxygen

[@boemont9991]

This is almost great, still a shit ton of plastic being used from the grow op to individual packaging.

[@cheongit]

Hi, Which robot arm did you use at 2m50s? What was the investment cost for that? How many functions does it do?

[@SaritVarma-lucky]

This is how we will do farming in Mars.👽

[@corlfranco9371]

THERES A RADIATION GAP, AND WE ALREADY RUINED MARS DUMBASS

[@corlfranco9371]

STOP following your dumbed down leader's ideas (for profit)

[@anithav1025]

This is wonderful and definitely the future of food sustainability. Hope to see similiar models adopted in other countries.

[@anna_m59]

I didn’t even know that Asia has food crisis. I know about water crisis.

[@hildaa9563]

They said Asia but technically only in Singapore

[@bbblahoo7]

these aren't biologists, not nutritionists more like artists with a touch of humanitarianism. This I like

[@poerava]

Wow. Amazing

[@tangobayus]

This picture shows the problem with some of these schemes: The gloves, mask, and hair net indicate that they have created a disease-prone environment for plants that have survived outdoors for millions of years.

[@agucci-e8x]

Amazing. The only farm in the world where it costs $50 to grow a salad.

[@johnc_]

The shelf in the supermarket says 7 Singapore dollars, this about $5 USD

[@agucci-e8x]

@@johnc_ Thats not bad. I wonder how much of that price is due to all the government investment though. As long as it takes less energy to run the lamps than to import food, its at least good for the environment.

[@appl2597]

Keep digging and making a fool of yourself... The more you talk, the more stupid you sound.

[@aahilalwani5019]

@@appl2597 exactly

[@kaischmid9118]

@Aimless Studios are the numbers true? I mean if there is energy hitting the solar pannel that must be also there when there is no panel right?

[@phoebepena2435]

Surely...

[@rajkvideos9151]

Plz can some let me know how i can contact this farm ... i would like to visit individually and want learn ... im frm nepal plzz

[@federic1470]

where I can find more info about the program ‘30 by 30’

[@skinnyfeels6769]

What's so kinky about their kale? I would market it as Krunchy Kale or something

[@hoppinghobbit9797]

Because it's Kute and Kinky like a Kardashian.

[@janalexandert]

Thanks! :) Hope more healthy food grown this way.

[@flewdrew1342]

Wow so cool...

[@kaischmid9118]

Great project, but you can not compare this kind of farming with traditional farming. If the average population would pay 7 Singapore dollars for a salat, organic outdoor farmers can also do that and are much more sustainable.

[@megaagentj2248]

how are they more sustainable? Hydropomic farming actually uses much less water since it can be recycled, plus if even half of farmland used for stuff like tomatoes were to be turned into farming of this style, due to the vertical layering plants can be put in, production would probably increase

[@kristandeleon2392]

This is wow!

[@Geekandsneaks]

That's great!!! But I have a question... One point of this exercise is because it helps the environment but where and how do they think their electricity is made. I doubt Singapore is 100% green renewable energy. And it's looks like their farm/space uses a lot of energy

[@hamadilawson4396]

I've never understood why they don't use super insulated greenhouses with an removable cover like at the football stadium.

[@rajkvideos9151]

Guys supprt for success n b positive ... this farm is great ...

[@denniskariuki1225]

F**cking ingenious!

[@Marcius55555]

Wow. One of the best ads i'v seen in a long time! Gj

[@KW-eg6yq]

It saves water but not the electricity. Power usage is a challenge.

[@miamor5929]

How does one get involved? Or learn etc

[@corlfranco9371]

youll need money power, turn those into private space and man power, turn those into knowledge and work

[@rajeshprem6349]

basically, the lady says "if you buy our product you are empowering" or else ??? and packs salad in a plastic bag. duh!

[@enzoma7253]

by picking up a pack of kale you are "empowered to make good choices" f-ing marketing lingo LMAO

[@rajatthakur9091]

I know it is good for future but don't know why I am getting scared!! After watching this

[@TroyKnox]

Talks about being sustainable & living by example... Packages produce in single use soft plastic.

[@lovelifeandlouboutinsblog2439]

Troy Knox their products are sold in resealable and reusable bags.

[@TroyKnox]

@@lovelifeandlouboutinsblog2439 that doesn't mean that most of it won't end in landfill. It doesn't need to be in plastic.

[@drydirtProductions]

CO2 label on the product please

[@ismailabdulmalik7063]

Hi sohail

[@rickiex]

manually germinating each and every flower?.......wow

[@andyginterblues2961]

Pollinating. Not germinating.

[@ruthwiksai6293]

For package

[@JAEGER111]

THIs. Governments of the world do this give each and every farmer a scientist or someone that understands, the tools to grow in small spaces

[@mudzakkir5366]

Hey

[@domoetker3967]

Too much electric!

[@sujitsingh7446]

Is it safe ? Indoor grown Kale.

[@corlfranco9371]

it may lack some micronutrients but so does monocrop industrial farming

[@GRNM-ro6hu]

Plastic, plastic and even more plastic, plastic, plastic

[@khryspytreasure6736]

He just said war instead of raw. Haha

[@Edddy...]

Avocados?

[@mikhailbarinov8334]

So is using plastic

[@Dabber422]

Magnetism will help the plants grow

[@ruthwiksai6293]

Still you use a type of plastic 🙄

[@esengseng9240]

I dont think its nutrious .. not organic / natural growth.

[@mollym7140]

SO MUCH PLASTIC!! And you talk about sustainability

[@megaagentj2248]

the food is sustainable, plastic is probably just normal packaging, what else could be used?

[@phillipthomas5395]

This has its place. Singapore must lack the land for cultivating out of the ground. But if land is local and available, grow what grows there. Buy what grows there. Eat what grows there. Don't advocate fixing what isn't broke.

[@UnimaginableWorld]

Phillip Thomas normal agriculture has its own problems too. its not producing enough food + it is degrading the soil (which is a major prob) + contributing to slash&burn as people clear land for agriculture/livestock.

[@PipMane]

talking about saving the planet and then proceeds to wrap a few leaves and air into plastic bags

[@4godand4thegays73]

5:50 GIVE ME DIS SONG🥺🥺