Future Food - Deconstructing the Discourses around Controlled Environment Agriculture

Recent challenges to food security mean that socio-technical innovations are becoming increasingly visible as alternative ways to produce food –politically, socially, and economically. Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) is generating a plurality of opinions and factors which contribute to an extensive discourse around this technology and its social, environmental and economic impact. However, it remains a complex, multifaceted topic with numerous intersecting and overlapping benefits and challenges. This report unpacks the discourse surrounding CEA by listening to and reporting on the diverse views, whilst critically analysing the claims. The report combines a comprehensive discourse analysis with in-depth interviews with twelve experts in the field. Through this amalgamation of sources rooted in both the theory and practice, we conclude that there is as yet no single straightforward discursive narrative on the benefits and impacts of CEA for future food production.