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examBoard: Cambridge
examType: IGCSE
lessonTitle: Controlled Environment Agriculture
Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) is a technology-based approach to food production where environmental factors are carefully managed to optimise plant growth. As our global population grows and climate change threatens traditional farming, CEA offers solutions for increasing food production while using fewer resources.
Key Definitions:
Traditional agriculture faces significant challenges: limited arable land, unpredictable weather patterns, seasonal limitations and pest pressures. CEA addresses these issues by creating ideal growing conditions year-round, regardless of external weather. This allows for consistent, high-quality yields with reduced water usage, fewer pesticides and often less land.
With the world population expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, we need to increase food production by 70% while using fewer resources. CEA is becoming increasingly important as a sustainable solution, especially in regions with harsh climates or limited agricultural land. Countries like the Netherlands, Japan and Singapore are leading the way in CEA innovation.
Greenhouses are perhaps the most familiar form of CEA. These structures use transparent materials to allow sunlight in while protecting crops from adverse weather conditions.
Simple structures that extend growing seasons by trapping heat and protecting plants from weather extremes. They rely mostly on natural sunlight with minimal technology.
Feature automated climate control systems, supplemental lighting, CO₂ enrichment and sophisticated irrigation. These can achieve yields up to 10 times higher than traditional farming.
Designed to maximise solar energy capture and retention, these use thermal mass materials to store heat during the day and release it at night, reducing energy needs.
Hydroponics involves growing plants without soil, instead using nutrient-rich water solutions. This method can produce higher yields while using up to 90% less water than conventional farming.
Hydroponic systems offer precise control over nutrient delivery, resulting in faster growth rates and higher yields. They eliminate soil-borne diseases and weeds, reducing the need for pesticides and herbicides. Plants can be grown closer together, maximising space efficiency. Water usage is dramatically reduced as water is recirculated through the system.
Vertical farming involves growing crops in stacked layers, often in repurposed warehouses, shipping containers, or purpose-built structures. This approach maximises production per square metre of land by utilising vertical space.
Modern vertical farms typically combine:
AeroFarms operates one of the world's largest vertical farms in Newark, New Jersey. Using aeroponic technology, they grow leafy greens in a converted steel factory. Their system uses 95% less water than field farming and produces yields 390 times higher per square metre. The facility operates year-round, producing over 900 tonnes of greens annually without pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides. LED lights provide customised light recipes for different crops, optimising flavour, texture and nutritional value.
While CEA offers many environmental benefits, it's important to consider its full environmental footprint:
CEA systems typically use 70-95% less water than conventional farming. Recirculating systems capture and reuse water, dramatically reducing consumption and preventing agricultural runoff that can pollute waterways.
By growing vertically and achieving higher yields per square metre, CEA reduces pressure on natural habitats. Urban CEA can repurpose unused buildings and bring food production closer to consumers, reducing transportation emissions.
The energy requirements for lighting, heating, cooling and operating equipment can be substantial. However, advances in LED technology, renewable energy integration and energy-efficient design are improving the carbon footprint of CEA systems.
Modern CEA operations are increasingly incorporating sustainable practices:
Located in the arid region of Port Augusta, South Australia, Sundrop Farms demonstrates how CEA can operate sustainably in harsh environments. The facility uses solar power to desalinate seawater for irrigation and to control the greenhouse climate. Their 20-hectare greenhouse produces over 15,000 tonnes of tomatoes annually using 80% less water than conventional methods. The farm operates almost entirely on renewable energy, with 23,000 mirrors focusing sunlight on a 115-metre-tall solar tower to generate heat and electricity.
CEA continues to evolve with technological advances and increasing investment. Several trends are shaping its future:
Artificial intelligence and machine learning are revolutionising CEA by optimising growing conditions in real-time. Advanced sensors monitor plant health, nutrient levels and environmental conditions, while robotics are automating planting, maintenance and harvesting tasks. Gene editing technologies are developing crop varieties specifically suited for indoor environments, with faster growth cycles and enhanced nutritional profiles.
Cities are increasingly incorporating CEA into urban planning, with rooftop greenhouses, vertical farms integrated into buildings and repurposed urban spaces for food production. This "urban agriculture" approach reduces food miles, creates local jobs and improves food security. Some new residential and commercial developments now include CEA facilities as standard features.
For CEA to reach its full potential in increasing global agricultural yields, several challenges must be addressed:
As these challenges are addressed, CEA is likely to play an increasingly important role in global food security, offering sustainable solutions for increasing agricultural yields while reducing environmental impacts.
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