Mined for Meaning: Can Underground Farming Save Our Food Future? The UK's food system is at a critical juncture, exposed by the recent dry summer as increasingly vulnerable to climate fluctuations.
In response, researchers have turned to disused mines like Boulby, near Saltburn, where they aim to grow crops with reduced energy costs in stable underground environments.
The project's goal is not to replace conventional farming but to complement it with controlled environment agriculture (CEA). Lettuce, for instance, has shown impressive results in this setting.