Cultivating tomorrow: how indoor vertical farming will bring a revolution in fresh-cut leafy greens and herbs

Vertical farming is a possible solution to address the growing challenges of urbanization, climate change, and the increasing pressure on food production systems. By cultivating crops in controlled environments with soilless techniques, vertical farms optimize resource use while increasing yields, particularly for leafy greens and herbs. Indoor agriculture has several advantages, including reduced land and water requirements, minimized pesticide use, and the possibility to produce year-round, regardless of external climate conditions. Different studies show lettuce yields of more than 70 kg m-2 year-1, with other crops like basil, rocket, and kale also featuring similar productions. Additionally, vertical farms reduce food loss and waste, enabling to produce vegetables with a higher salable percentage over the total plant biomass, that overall improve their resource use efficiency and sustainability. Conversely, vertical farming also faces some crucial challenges. Energy consumption is one of the most impactful, with lighting alone accounting for up to 55% of total energy use. The energy use efficiency (EUE) of vertical farms is generally lower than traditional systems in open fields or greenhouses. Therefore, innovations in light emitting diode (LED) technology, spectral optimization, and renewable energy integration are needed. Moreover, the economic viability of vertical farming is highly sensitive to energy costs, with seasonal and regional variations influencing profitability. While vertical farming offers a promising pathway to sustainable agriculture, research must overcome energy and economic barriers through technological improvements.