Large Scale Urban Agriculture - Page 8

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8. Conclusion

Large scale urban farming, in the shape of vertical farms, can thoroughly affect the way we provide for our daily necessities. Its potential is enormous, affectin transportation, food quality, the economy of cities, and the sociological landscape of urban areas. However, it depends on its level of implementation how influential it can be. In could range from a nice and functional addition to the agricultural services that could provide some places with a percentage of their food contribution in highly developed countries, to being a revolutionary development in food production that shifts the balance from rural to urban and empowers developing countries in economical, political and social ways as not seen before.

Until then it is necessary to continue to push for experimentation and exploration of this realm. The technologies are known, but they've never been used in such a way before. Also, the economical charcateristics are not entirely known. Without test sites and further research into the implementation of vertical farms into the fabric of the city it will remain guess work. What is certain is that vertical farms provide an enormous potential for changing the functional operations

of cities the world over, and that whoever manages to harness them in an economically and ecologically sound way has a bright future ahead of them. International cooperation to achieve the first few plants would be a good start, and a number of experimental vertical farms the next step. No matter how it will bedone, large scale urban farming is a viable opportunity that can play a very important role in the next century, if executed correctly.

Tom Bosschaert, July 2008

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