Climate change is recognised as agriculture’s biggest challenge to date.* With increasing temperatures and an escalation in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, agricultural productivity remains at risk of being compromised. With the food security of millions threatened, there remains a need to develop alternative, sustainable production models which can thrive in the face of climate change. Advances in plant factories: New technologies in indoor vertical farming reviews the wealth of research on optimising plant factories with artificial lighting (PFALs) as one potential solution to achieving a more sustainable agriculture. The book addresses developments in process monitoring, optimizing energy use, as well as adjusting lighting conditions to improve the sensory and nutritional quality of a range of horticultural crops. It also includes case studies of successful plant factory operations. Through its exploration of the development and application of PFALs in agriculture, the book highlights the growing importance of controlled environment agriculture technologies as a solution to maintaining global crop production in a time where our climate remains as unpredictable as ever.

This collection reviews key recent research on developing urban and peri-urban agriculture. Chapters first discuss ways of building urban agriculture, from planning and business models to building social networks to support local supply chains. Other chapters survey developments in key technologies for urban agriculture, including rooftop systems and vertical farming. The book also assesses challenges and improvements in irrigation, waste management, composting/soil nutrition and pest management. The final group of chapters provides a series of case studies on urban farming of particular commodities, including horticultural produce, livestock and forestry.