Research Brief: Growing High-Protein Crops in Vertical Farms

By CEAgWorld staff|May 8, 2025

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Researchers at TUMCREATE, a research foundation in Singapore, examined how vertical farms could improve the production of plants, algae, mushrooms, insects, and cultivated meat while addressing environmental challenges in a recent study.

In their analysis, the researchers compared six crops grown in a simulated 10-layer vertical farming system with traditional field production. They used 11 key performance indicators to measure production value, the limiting factors of open-field farming, and environmental impact.

Comparing Vertical Farming with Traditional Ag

While many in the CEA industry have focused on leafy green production, this research indicates that vertical farming systems offer even more advantages when applied to protein-rich crops. These include:

Plants: Growing plants in vertically stacked layers could increase productivity by 42,000% compared to field crops while using 99.99% less water and virtually eliminating nutrient loss and pesticide use.
Microalgae: Growing nutrient-dense microorganisms in a bioreactor (an enclosed system that supports a biologically active environment under controlled conditions) offers 10-50 times faster growth than field crops and are carbon-negative due to atmospheric CO₂ fixation.
Mushrooms: Cultivating fungi in a bioreactor system to convert organic waste into protein-rich food could produce approximately 23,000 tons/hectare/year of dry matter, requiring just 0.13 million hectares (versus 697 million for field crops).
Insects: Farming insects that convert organic waste into protein, like black soldier fly larvae, could produce about 13,500 tons of protein per hectare per year in a 10-layer vertical farm.
Fish: While energy-intensive, using recirculating aquaculture systems to farm fish in a closed-loop system could increase protein productivity by over 100,000% compared with farming fish in open water systems.
Meat: Growing meat from animal cells in bioreactors, though still in early development, could potentially surpass open-field cattle productivity by more than 600% while using 97% less water.

Market Applications and Industry Outlook

For CEA professionals monitoring emerging opportunities, this research suggests the industry is poised to expand beyond current market segments. The circular economy potential – particularly in mushroom and insect systems that can utilize organic waste streams – offers intriguing possibilities for integrating these technologies into broader agricultural ecosystems.

You can read the full study here: https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/4/4/pgaf078/8058665.