An indoor farming framework for decision support towards food security in Society 5.0

Abstract

One of the key aspects outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is food security. The discourse around food security recognizes that resources such as water and land are finite, and the agenda to end hunger remains a major challenge. Furthermore, the objective of Society 5.0, to integrate digital technologies and a human-centered society to foster economic advancement and the resolution of social problems, augmented the reasons to address food security. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to consider indoor farming as an agricultural technology capable of producing more food using fewer resources, as opposed to traditional farming, that is enabled through targeted capital investments. We developed an Integrated Farming Framework (IFF) with the aim to provide decision support to guide potential investors in indoor farming. Ten key aspects were identified and mapped to the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework, identifying a fourth construct, societal context. These constructs include the basic elements required for investors to consider financing in indoor farming projects. By applying the IFF, investors will be able to consider their investment options holistically.