Chinese scientists have put the world’s tallest unmanned vertical farm into operation in the southwestern province of Sichuan, in response to President Xi Jinping’s call to reinforce the nation’s food security through technological innovation.
The 20-storey urban farm, built under the oversight of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences in a downtown part of the provincial capital Chengdu, represents world-leading automation in farming, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
It also marks the latest effort to leverage technological innovation to ensure there is enough food to feed the country’s 1.4 billion people, as the nation’s self-sufficiency drive has become increasingly prioritised against the backdrop of geopolitical tensions that could affect imports and supply chains.
Vertical farms, which have been seen in countries such as Japan, Singapore and the United States, are efficient agricultural systems that enable year-round continuous food production within multi-story structures. They can operate anywhere from urban settings to deserts, offering significant advantages in providing stable food supplies to areas where traditional farming is not possible.
During a July meeting of the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission, the president flagged issues threatening the country’s food security, including the abandonment of farmland; soil erosion and degradation; and the overexploitation of groundwater.