Business Lab · MIT Technology Review Insights

Technology and Innovation Transform Farming

April 7, 2022·26 min·2 clips

Smart Acres farmers wear lab coats to protect plants from the CO2 in human breath.

This episode explores hydroponic vertical farming as a solution for food security in regions with limited arable land, like the United Arab Emirates. Host Laurel Ruma speaks with Apasith Pongsavan, lead project manager of the indoor vertical farm Smart Acres. Pongsavan is a trained chef who brings a culinary and sustainability perspective to the agritech project. Smart Acres operates eight interconnected shipping containers that function as a sterile, controlled growing environment. The farm uses 90% less water and one-tenth the land of traditional agriculture while growing pesticide-free leafy greens. The UAE currently imports about 90% of its food, making it vulnerable to supply chain disruptions, as seen during the pandemic. Smart Acres has recently upgraded to a "version 2.0" growth module with improved humidity control, air circulation, and modulated lighting for better energy efficiency. Workers must follow strict protocols, including wearing full PPE and passing through an air shower, to maintain a sterile environment for the plants. The company utilizes a proprietary, cloud-based IoT system to monitor and automatically adjust five key conditions: light, humidity, circulation, nutrients, and temperature. A surprising insight is that the PPE is worn primarily to protect the crops from human exhalation and external contaminants, not the other way around. The company has not yet completed a formal nutritional analysis, but Pongsavan claims their locally grown produce retains more nutrients than imported greens that lose value during long transport. Future expansion plans include experimenting with high-value crops like strawberries and developing a region-specific potato seed to reduce import dependence in the MENA region. Pongsavan also applies his chef's mindset to minimize waste, "upcycling" imperfect greens into products like sauces, kale chips, or kimchi. He advocates for a cultural shift to appreciate "imperfect" produce that may taste better than cosmetically perfect alternatives. The tone is educational and conversational, focusing on practical technology and business logistics within a sustainability framework. The style is interview-based, with the host asking specific questions to draw out detailed operational explanations and future visions. This episode would appeal to listeners interested in sustainable agriculture, food tech innovation, and business solutions for climate-challenged regions. Those seeking a deep critique of vertical farming's economics or its scalability for staple crops might find the coverage more introductory.

As heard by us

Vertical farming is treated as an operations story about food security, not a slogan.

Business Lab treats hydroponic vertical farming as an operations and food-security question, not a slogan. Laurel Aruma and Smart Acres lead project manager Apasith Pongsavan stay close to the machinery of the idea: why the United Arab Emirates demands a different model, how a…

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You want a practical case for hydroponic vertical farming in the UAE.

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