These Dutch Engineers Could Help End World Hunger

By Trent Meyer
Read Time: 3 minutes
Any good Malthusian can tell you the global population benchmarks and the strain that an ever increasing population will place on the planet's resources, especially food. Humanity reached 7 billion sometime between 2011 and 2012, and the UN estimates the total at around 9 billion by 2050. In a sobering 2009 estimate, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization stated that food production will have to increase by 70% by 2050 to meet demand. Some say the situation is dire.


Enter PlantLab, a Dutch company that is hoping to lead the next agricultural revolution. The company purports that indoor farming can produce crop yields "30 to 40 times higher than an open crop field." So, in order to feed 100,000 people, a facility would only need to be the size of 2 soccer fields stacked 10 stories.

You might wonder how this is possible. According to PlantLab, research indicates that plants normally only utilize red and blue light from the sun, or about "1-5%" of the sun's total energy. So by controlling the light wavelengths using ever-improving (and cheapening) LED lighting, the crops can receive optimized light energy, improving yields. Plus, PlantLab facilities have the capability to control important factors like air and soil temperatures, carbon dioxide levels, watering, and fertilizing.


In an era so focused on sustainability, the PlantLab concept appears promising in this realm. Indoor crops are not subjected to bugs, fungi, or disease, meaning there's no need for pesticides or genetic modifications. And as increasing populations and climate change strain regional water supplies (see: California), PlantLab's controlled environment uses "90% less water than traditional agricultural practices."

The PlantLab concept also emphasizes "local growing." As a larger share of people continue to move into cities around the globe (85% by 2050), transportation of food will become increasingly important and expensive. But imagine the ramifications of having the farm a block from a downtown market. Shorter transport means less time between harvest and consumption, which means lower costs and fresher food.

The urban farming concept is not new- Japan has a facility the produces 100 times the lettuce of traditional farms using 40% less energy and 99% less water. In the face of immense problems such as increasing populations and resource scarcity, innovators like PlantLab shine rays hope on mankind's future.

This is Shanghai

Photographer Rob Whitworth shot and produced this fantastic video of Shanghai, the most populous city-proper in the world at over 24 million people. As the commercial and financial center of mainland China, Shanghai is one of the fastest developing cities in the world, boasting double-digit growth in every year since 1992 (except during the global recession 2008 and 2009). 

Economists remain optimistic of Shanghai's future since it was named the first Free Trade Zone in China in Sept. 2013, incorporating an 11 sq. mile corridor where commodities are duty-free and regulations are reduced. This will serve as a valuable experiment for other cities looking for ways to foster sustainability and diversification. 

I recommend watching this in full screen with headphones. Also, check out Rob's Dubai video. 

Eindhoven: Literally a City of Lights

(Published in The Express Tribune, 22 January, 2015)

Read Time: 3 minutes

A dot on the map was soon to see population and economic growth that, years later, would transform it to a hub of innovation and industrial activity.

The Philips Light Tower in the City Center. (Wikipedia)

From textile to electronics, Eindhoven – a mid-sized city located in the southern region of the Netherlands – used developments as a springboard to attract companies and workforce. 

The city, now, has emerged as the capital of the Dutch industrial design. The development spur came with the rise of electronics giant Philips, founded as a light-bulb manufacturing company in Eindhoven in 1891. While most of Philips’ industries have moved out, the Philips Design Bureau is still in Eindhoven.

The city earned the tag of the world’s most intelligent community by the Intelligent Community Forum for 2011 and houses over 200,000 people, but the work of industrial and commercial units has made it prominently significant.

The city’s record in producing patents makes it the world’s most inventive city, according to the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development.

Here, the work of Philips, founded by Gerard Philips and his father, cannot be ignored. Philips introduced the audio Compact Audio Cassette tape in 1963, and the world’s first home video cassette recorder, in England. In 1982, Philips teamed with Sony to launch the Compact Disc

In 2013, Philips unveiled its new brand line “Innovation and You”, signifying the company’s evolution and emphasising on catering to the needs of the people.

The following year, Philips announced a plan to split the company into two, separating the lighting business from the healthcare and consumer lifestyle divisions, as it made its move towards focusing on innovative solutions.

Built and re-built post the World War II, the city has made a name for itself again and again. While would be inclined to believe that an industrial hub would compromise the environment, a visit would dismiss that impression. The structures and nature gel well together. In fact, there are several parks established by Philips.

Eindhoven is an example of an admirable blend of sustainable development with innovating being the driving force.

-By Jamal Khurshid, 2015