Food Without Farms: An Alternative to Conventional Agriculture?

As climate change, land scarcity, and population growth strain global food systems, scientists are exploring radically new ways to produce food—without traditional farms. This article surveys breakthroughs in lab-grown proteins, fermentation, and electro-agriculture, including NASA-backed efforts to grow crops in the dark using acetate instead of sunlight. While these technologies show promise for food security in extreme environments or disrupted supply chains, large-scale adoption remains limited by energy demands and infrastructure needs. Still, the vision of feeding a growing planet with minimal land use is edging closer to reality.