Vertical agriculture’s potential implications for food system resilience: outcomes of focus groups in the Fraser Valley, British Columbia

Abstract

Food systems are vulnerable to socioeconomic and environmental changes, and increasing food system resilience has emerged as a key public policy priority. Vertical agriculture is one potential strategy to contribute to food system resilience. To date, the literature exploring this technology has focused on consumer perceptions, with less examination of broader social-ecological system considerations or on-the-ground implications for vulnerable food system actors. This study explores local food system stakeholders' account of vertical agriculture's potential contributions to food system resilience, and specifically to food system decentralization, increasing stakeholder decision-making autonomy and diversifying food systems. The results of an exploratory focus group with 16 participants, including local government officials and members of community food organizations, are presented. Participants discussed how vertical agriculture can contribute to food system decentralization by operating across a variety of scales and in public institutions, although local land-use zoning barriers, competing land use priorities, and lack of community acceptance may hinder its widespread implementation. Further, vertical agriculture may contribute to food system diversification by increasing the amount of regionally available produce in the face of future supply disruptions. The potential implications of vertical agriculture for increasing decision-making autonomy will vary, depending on whether it is governed at more or less accessible scales and forms. It is recommended that further research consider diverse scenarios and engage with wider stakeholder and community groups for vertical agriculture's planning and implementation, particularly in less explored land use contexts, such as in agricultural regions or in public institutions.