Re:grow
Feeding the growing population without further harming our fragile planet.
World leaders face an urgent challenge – how to feed our growing population without further harming our fragile planet.
At NTU, researcher Chungui Lu has reimagined farming approaches and restructured food production processes to provide the radical solutions required.
He has developed two vertical farming showcases. Using precision control systems and advanced lighting, he can optimise crop production and quality.
Chungui Lu continues to research how to improve crop yields and use resources efficiently to provide fresh, safe, and nutritious food all year round.
From the UK to China, our research is already helping countries commercialise urban farming systems. We are helping to restore confidence in safe, sustainable food production and reduce its impact on climate change.
Re:grow: Growing the farms of the future.
Basically vertical farming is indoor growing system protected from the weather.
Good benefit with the controlled system is you can control temperature, humidity, water crop, the best condition needed will compete with the best condition for crop growth.
Yeah I think this speeds crops grew much quicker now, for example if you grew lettuce so growing in the field maybe take about two months but for in the shipping container only take 25 days we can harvest it.
So for our shipping container every year it can produce seven tonnes of vegetables for lettuce. If we grew with a microgreen they can get like 48 tonnes, you can provide the local food, 70 percent of vegetables imported from european countries, the fruits.
So this is a quite a long way of thousand miles and footprint come to here. So it's not good for environment, so if we grew local food we reduce quite a lot of costing and also we don't use pesticide, the fungicide so food is really safe. It's more clean, nutritional and so this is the people what wanted, the food, the fresh food, locally.
Recent research
Explore the latest news and projects
New vertical farms will tackle global food challenges – and are set to be used by retailers, caterers and schools
Thu 23 Sep 2021
Vertical farm crops donated to help feed the homeless in Nottinghamshire
Mon 30 Mar 2020
Research Blog: Professor Chungui Lu on vertical farming and the urgency of innovative sustainable food production
Thu 21 Nov 2019
Vertical ‘container farms’ can produce bigger and better natural crops
Fri 22 Mar 2019
Sustainable Futures
Our vertical farming research is drawn from the strategic research theme of Sustainable Futures.
Groups and centres
Centre for Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences Research
With a growing population putting pressure on the Earth’s resources, plotting the path to a sustainable future has never been more vital. We’re committed to developing research and innovation which can make a meaningful difference, and developing graduates with 21st century skills, scientific knowledge and experience.
Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security
The group focuses on teaching modern production methods and management of plant crops, agronomy and post-harvest issues. We also specialise in delivering the knowledge and skills needed to implement safe practices in the production of food, as well as understanding microbial food spoilage and toxin production.
Re:gister for updates
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