Are indoor vertical farms the future of agriculture? | Stuart Oda

Translator: Joseph Geni Reviewer: Joanna Pietrulewicz

譯者: Yen Doran 審譯者: Helen Chang

So if you live on planet Earth

如果您住在地球

and you're one of seven billion people that eats food every day,

像 70 億人口一樣，天天進食，

I need you to pay attention,

我需要您注意聽我分享，

because over the next three decades,

因為在未來的三十年裡，

we will need to address

我們需要解決

one of the most critical global challenges of our generation.

我們這一代面臨的 最關鍵的全球性挑戰。

And I'm not talking about climate change.

我不是在說氣候變化。

I'm talking about food and agriculture.

我說的是糧食和農業這一塊。

In 2050, our global population is projected to reach 9.8 billion,

到 2050 年，我們全球 人口預計將達到 98 億，

with 68 percent of us living in urban city centers.

而 68% 人口分布在市中心。

In order to feed this massive population,

為了提供糧食給這個龐大的人口，

we will need to increase our agricultural output

我們需要將農業產出增加到

by 70 percent over current levels.

比當前的水準高出 70%。

Just to put this number into perspective,

具體化來說，

we will need to grow more food in the next 35 to 40 years

就是我們需要在未來 35 至 40 年內種植更多的糧食，

than the previous 10,000 years combined.

這比一萬年以來的總和還要多。

Put simply, not only is our global population becoming bigger,

簡單地說，不僅是我們 全球人口越來越多，

but it's also getting denser,

而且人口密度隨之變得越來越大，

and we will need to grow significantly more food

因此，我們需要用更少的土地和資源

using significantly less land and resources.

來種植更多的糧食。

Complicating our current efforts to address these major demographic shifts

使我們目前解決這些重大人口 結構變化的努力變得更複雜的

are the challenges facing the agricultural industry today.

是今天農業面臨的挑戰。

Globally, one third of all the food that we produce is wasted,

全球範圍内，三分之一 生產的糧食被浪費掉，

acquitting to 1.6 billion tons of food

這相等於 16 億噸的糧食

that spoiled on the way to the market

在送往菜市場途中變質了，

or expired in our refrigerators

或是在冰箱裡過期了，

or were simply thrown out by supermarkets and restaurants

或是被超級市場和餐館

at the end of the day.

在打烊的時候扔掉了。

Every single year, up to 600 million people

每一年，將近 6 億人，

will get sick eating contaminated food,

因為吃壞了肚子而生病，

highlighting the challenge that we have of maintaining global food safety.

這強調了我們同時面對捍衛 全球食品安全的挑戰。

And, maybe unsurprisingly,

還有，也許不足為奇的是，

the agricultural industry

農業是最大單一的淡水消耗者，

is the single largest consumer of fresh water,

accounting for 70 percent of global usage.

占全球使用量的 70%。

Now, you'll be relieved to know

現在，您應该會鬆一口氣

that the agricultural industry

知道這農業

and that the global movement by universities, companies and NGOs

和來自世界各地的大學、 公司與非政府组織

is putting together comprehensive research

正在一起努力作全面的研究

and developing novel technology

和研發最新科技，

to address all of these issues.

來解決所有以上的問題。

And many have been doing it for decades.

許多人已經這樣做了幾十年。

But one of the more recent innovations in food production

但是，最近一個革新的食品生產

being deployed in industrial parks in North America,

部署在北美的工業園區、

in the urban city centers of Asia,

在亞洲的市中心，

and even in the arid deserts of the Middle East

甚至在中東的乾旱沙漠裡，

is controlled environment agriculture.

叫做監控環境農業。

Controlled environment agriculture is actually just a fancy way of saying

監控環境農業其實是

weather- or climate-proof farming,

防風雨、防氣候農法的花俏說法，

and many of these farms grow food three-dimensionally in vertical racks,

很多這種農場在立體式的 堆疊架中種植糧食，

as opposed to the two dimensions of conventional farms.

相對於平面式的傳統農場。

And so this type of food production is also referred to

這一種食品生產法也被稱為

as indoor vertical farming.

室內垂直農業。

I've been involved in the indoor vertical farming space

我從事室內垂直農場

for the past five and a half years,

已有五年半的時間，

developing technology to make this type of food production

參與研發科技來讓這種食品生產

更有效更能負擔得起。

more efficient and affordable.

This picture was taken outside of a decommissioned shipping container

這照片是在退役的 航運集裝箱外邊照的，

that we converted into an indoor farm

我們把它改造成室內農場，

and then launched into the heart and the heat of Dubai.

然後安放到炎熱的杜拜。

Indoor vertical farming is a relatively recent phenomena,

室內垂直農場是種比較新的現象，

commercially speaking,

從商業角度來說，

and the reason for this is that consumers care more about food safety

原因是消費者比較注重

食品安全和食品來源，

and where their food comes from,

and also, the necessary technology to make this possible

還有，那讓這個變成可能的必要科技

is more readily available and lower cost,

更易取得、成本更低，

and the overall cost of food production globally is actually increasing,

再加上全球食品生產總 成本實際上正在增加，

making this type of food production more competitive.

讓這種食品生產更具競爭力。

So if you want to build an indoor vertical farm,

所以，如果想要建造室內垂直農場，

you will need to replace some of the conventional elements of farming

將需要用人工替代品

with artificial substitutes,

來取代某些常規種植元素。

starting with sunlight.

從陽光開始。

In indoor vertical farms,

在室內垂直農場裡，

natural sunlight is replaced with artificial lighting like LEDs.

我們用人工照明 例如 LED 來代替陽光。

While there are many different types of LEDs being used,

雖然我們用過很多 不同類型的 LED，

the one that we decided to install here

但是，我們決定安裝在這裡的一款

is called "full spectrum LEDs,"

叫做「全光譜 LED」，

which was optimized for the type of vegetables that we were growing.

來針對優化我們種植的蔬菜品種。

Also, in order to maximize production for a given space,

還有，為了在給予的 空間裡得到最大的生產，

indoor vertical farms also utilize and install racking systems

室内垂直農場也安装 和利用貨架系统

to grow vegetables vertically,

來垂直種植蔬菜。

and some of the biggest facilities

有些最大型的設施

stack their production 14 to 16 floors high.

把他們的生產貨架 堆疊高達 14 至 16 樓層。

Now most of these farms are hydroponic or aeroponic systems,

現在，多數這些農場 用的是水培或氣培系統，

which means that instead of using soil,

那就是說與其用土壤，

they use a substitute material like polyurethane sponges,

他們用的是替代 原料像聚氨酯海綿，

biodegradable peat moss

生物降解性的泥炭苔，

and even use inorganic materials like perlite and clay pellets.

甚至使用無機材料 像珍珠石和黏土顆粒。

Another unique aspects about these farms

這些農地的另一個特點

is that they use a precise nutrient formula

是它們運用精準的營養配方，

that is circulated and recycled throughout the facility,

通過在設施裡循環 和回收的運作方式，

and this is pumped directly to the vegetables' root zone

直接輸入蔬菜根部區

to promote plant growth.

以促進植物生長。

And lastly, these farms use

最後，這些農場利用

a sophisticated monitoring and automation system

尖端的全自動化監控系統

to significantly increase productivity,

來大大地提高產量、

efficiency and consistency,

效率和一致性。

and these tools also provide the added benefit

而以上這些工具也提供了附加優勢

of producing food that is more traceable and safe.

使食品生產變得比較 安全和容易追溯。

Some of the obvious benefits of growing food in this way

這種糧食種植法的明顯好處

is that you have year-round vegetable production,

是您將有常年的蔬菜產出，

you have consistent quality and you have predictable output.

您將擁有一致性的品質 還有可預測性的產出。

Some of the other major benefits

其他的主要好處

include significant resource use efficiencies,

包括很大的資源使用效率，

particularly water.

尤其是水源。

For every kilogram of vegetables grown in this way,

這樣種植的每一公斤蔬菜，

hundreds of liters of water is conserved compared to conventional farming methods.

與傳統的耕作方法相比， 省下了數百公升的水。

And with the water savings

省下水後

come similar savings in the use of fertilizer.

接著省下了肥料的使用。

One of the highest-yielding farms

產量最高的農場比傳統農場的

grows over 350 times more food per square meter than a conventional farm.

單位平方公尺糧食產量超出 350 倍。

And weatherproofing

還有，防風雨

means complete control of incoming contaminants and pests,

意味著能完全控制 侵入的污染物和害蟲，

completely eliminating the need for the use of chemical pesticides.

完全消除用化學殺蟲劑的需要。

And not to be mistaken,

不要弄錯，

these farms can produce enormous amounts of food,

這些農場可以生產超大量的食品，

with one of the biggest facilities

其中最大的設施之一

producing 30,000 heads of vegetables a day.

一天可生產 30千棵的蔬菜。

However, as with any new technology or innovation,

但是，任何的創新或改革科技，

there are some drawbacks.

都會有缺點。

As you would imagine,

正如你想像的那樣，

growing food in this way can be incredibly energy-intensive.

以這種方式來種植糧食， 會消耗大量的能源。

Also, these farms can only produce a small variety of vegetables commercially

而且，這些農場只能生產 種類少的商業性質蔬菜，

and the overall cost of the production still is quite high.

總生產成本卻是仍然相當的高。

And in order to address these issues,

為了解決這些問題，

some of the biggest and most sophisticated farms

一些最大規模和最頂尖的農場

are making significant investments, starting with energy efficiency.

在能源效率方面，花費龐大的投資。

In order to reduce the high energy usage,

為了能降低高能源耗量，

there are efforts to develop higher-efficiency LEDs,

有人努力研發更高效率的 LED，

to develop lasers optimized for plant growth

研製鐳射器以優化植物生長

and using even fiber-optic cables like these

並使用像這樣的光纖電纜

to channel sunlight directly into an indoor vertical farm

在白天，把陽光直接 引導進入室內垂直農場

during the day to reduce the need for artificial lighting.

以減少對人造光的需求。

Also, to reduce the labor costs associated with hiring a more sophisticated,

還有，為了降低人工 成本像雇傭頂尖，

more urban and also more high-skilled labor force,

和更高技能的市區勞工，

robotics in automation is used extensively in large-scale facilities.

大機構設施廣泛地 使用自動化機器人。

And you can never really be too resource-efficient.

而且，再怎麼節約資源都不嫌多。

Building indoor vertical farms in and around urban city centers

在市區中心裡和其周圍 建造室內垂直農場，

can help to shorten the agricultural supply chain

既能幫助縮短農業供應鏈

and also help to maintain the nutritional content in vegetables.

又能幫助維持蔬菜的營養成分。

Also, there are food deserts in many countries

還有，許多國家有食品沙漠，

that have little to no access to nutritious vegetables,

人們很少或根本沒有機會 獲取新鮮又營養的蔬菜。

and as this industry matures,

隨著這項工業逐漸成熟，

it will become possible to provide more equitable access

它將可能提供每個 人更平等的機會，

to high-quality, highly nutritious vegetables

吃得到品質高、營養高的蔬菜，

in even the most underprivileged of communities.

即使在最貧困的社區。

And finally, and this is really exciting for me personally,

最後，對我個人而言， 這真的很振奮人心，

indoor vertical farming can actually be integrated seamlessly

因為室內垂直農場

其實可以和市區空間無縫結合，

into the cityscape

to help repurpose idle, underutilized and unused urban infrastructure.

來幫助善用未被充分利用， 閒置的市區設施。

In fact, this is already happening today.

事實上，這種情況今天已經發生了。

Ride-sharing services have taken hundreds of thousands of cars off the road

共乘服務已經成功促使 成千上萬輛車子撤離公路，

and they have significantly reduced the need for parking.

大大地減少對停車位的需求。

This is a farm that we installed in central Beijing

這是一個我們安裝在 北京市中心的一個農場

in an underutilized underground parking structure

位於未被充分利用的地下停車場裡，

to grow vegetables for the nearby hotels.

為附近的飯店種植蔬菜。

Underutilized infrastructure

未被充分利用的基礎設施

is not simply limited to large-scale civil engineering projects,

不僅限於那些大型建築工程項目，

and they can also include smaller spaces like idle restaurant corners.

也可以是那些較小的空間， 像餐館裡頭的閒置空間。

This is an example of a farm that we installed

這是另一個農場個案，

directly into the partition of a hotel entrance

我們直接把它安裝 在飯店入口處的分區，

in order to grow fresh herbs and microgreens on-site for the chefs.

當場為廚師提供 新鮮的香菜和鮮嫩蔬菜。

Honestly, if you look around,

老實說，如果您看一看周圍，

you will find underutilized space everywhere,

您會發現到處都有 未被充分利用的空間，

under, around and inside of urban developments.

城市發展的下方、周圍和內部。

This is a farm that we installed into an empty office corner

這是我們安裝在一間 空辦公室角落的農場，

to grow fresh vegetables for the employees in nearby cafes.

用來種植新鮮蔬菜， 在附近餐館提供給員工。

I get to be a part of all these cool projects

我是這些超酷專案裡的一部分，

and working in the agricultural industry

得以付出努力提升農業， 使其儘快實現：

to improve access and affordability

不論任何人在任何地方

to fresh and nutritious produce,

都能夠獲取與負擔得起 新鮮營養的食品。

hopefully soon by anyone anywhere,

has been the greatest joy and also the most humbling

這是我做過最喜悅、最謙卑，

和在知性上的最挑戰的事。

and intellectually challenging thing I've ever done.

And now that I've convinced you that agriculture can be quite sexy,

雖然我現在已經說服您 農業其實也可以很吸引人，

you'll be surprised and shocked to know

但是，您會訝異

that I still have trouble

我還是難以解釋清楚

fully articulating how and why I decided to work, and continue to work,

為什麼我堅持不懈地

繼續付出於農業這個領域。

in the agricultural industry.

But a couple of years ago, I found a rather unique answer

但是就在兩年前， 我找到了一個挺獨特的答案

hiding in plain sight.

其實一直就在我身上。

You see, I read an article

您瞧，我讀過一篇文章

about how your name,

是關於名字，

particularly your last name,

尤其是姓氏，

can have a strong influence

如何對人的一切產生強大影響

on everything from your personality to your professional career.

從個性到終生志業。

This is my Japanese last name:

這是我的日本姓氏：

Oda.

Oda。

And the characters translate literally

從字面上翻譯過來

into "small farm."

就是「小田 」。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）