Underground Food Farms as a Climate-Friendly Alternative Form of Urban Agriculture

Alicja Krzemińska (), Anna Zaręba, Mariusz Adynkiewicz-Piragas, Haifeng Jia, María Guadalupe Alpuche Cruz and Luis Antonio Valle Cordero
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Alicja Krzemińska: Faculty of Earth Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Wrocław, ul. Cybulskiego 30, 50-205 Wrocław, Poland
Anna Zaręba: Faculty of Earth Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Wrocław, ul. Cybulskiego 30, 50-205 Wrocław, Poland
Mariusz Adynkiewicz-Piragas: Institute of Meteorology and Water Management, National Research Institute, ul. Podlesna 61, 01-673 Warszawa, Poland
Haifeng Jia: School of Environment, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
María Guadalupe Alpuche Cruz: Department of Architecture and Design, University of Sonora, Rosales and Encinas, Centro Hermosillo, Hermosillo 83000, Sonora, Mexico
Luis Antonio Valle Cordero: Department of Architecture and Design, University of Sonora, Rosales and Encinas, Centro Hermosillo, Hermosillo 83000, Sonora, Mexico

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-29

Abstract: In urban spaces, areas that can be used for cultivation are largely limited. In addition, the use of areas belonging to green–blue infrastructure for agricultural purposes is not always feasible under conditions of high urban population density. Currently, over half of the global population live in cities, which affects the price of land and how it is developed within the urban fabric. By 2050, at least 70% of the human population is estimated to be living in cities; therefore, problems related to the economics and logistics of supplying food to residents are expected to increase and become significantly more complex. Attempts to develop alternative solutions for food production that minimally absorb usable urban space and have low climate impacts on the urban fabric have already been made. One such solution is large-scale vertical food cultivation in the underground areas of cities, such as unused parts of metro stations, bunkers, basements, and underground parking lots. This study aims to analyze the feasibility of using underground urban spaces for efficient and environmentally friendly food production in terms of spatial, economic, ecological, and climatic aspects. The conducted research is based on a review of literature and urban documents, which was complemented by a SWOT analysis, a Weighted SWOT, and a TOWS matrix. The results obtained indicate a number of benefits, such as independence from weather conditions and the shortening of supply chains, while simultaneously pointing to barriers related to high energy costs and the lack of regulatory frameworks. The conclusions, however, suggest that underground farming may serve as one of the elements of critical food-related infrastructure, provided that this system is integrated into urban policies and receives additional systemic support.

Keywords: underground farms; urban agriculture; sustainable urban development; climate change adaptation; green infrastructure (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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