City M is a large city in northern Europe with a population of 1.8 million people. The city currently imports approximately 85% of its fresh food from farms...

(a)(i) Definition of food miles: [1]

Food miles is the distance that food is transported from where it is produced to where it is consumed or sold [1]. A higher number of food miles generally means more fuel is burned during transport, contributing more carbon dioxide emissions to the atmosphere.

(a)(ii) Transport distances (from Table 1): [1]

The vertical farm produces food just 5 km from the consumer, while imported food travels 8,500 km [1]. This represents a 1,700-fold difference in transport distance.

(b)(i) Two advantages of vertical farming over importing (from Table 1): [2]

1. The vertical farm produces 45 kg per m\(^2\) per year compared to just 3.5 kg for conventional farming - nearly 13 times more food from the same footprint. This is because vertical stacking multiplies the effective growing area within a single building [1].
2. The vertical farm uses only 12 litres of water per kg of food compared to 85 litres for conventional farming - an 86% reduction. The closed water recycling system captures and reuses drainage, whereas open-field farming loses water to evaporation and runoff [1].

(b)(ii) Percentage reduction in CO\(_2\) emissions when food is produced locally: [2]

\[ \text{Reduction} = 890 - 120 = 770 \text{ g per kg} \] [1]

\[ \text{Percentage reduction} = \frac{770}{890} \times 100 = 86.5\% \] [1]

Producing food in the vertical farm reduces CO\(_2\) emissions per kilogram by 86.5% compared to importing it.

(c)(i) How reducing food miles lowers carbon dioxide emissions: [2]

1. Shorter transport distances mean fewer vehicle journeys and less fuel is burned for road and air freight. Trucks, ships, and cargo aircraft all combust fossil fuels during transport, releasing CO\(_2\). A 5 km delivery produces negligible transport emissions compared to an 8,500 km international journey [1].
2. Locally produced food does not require energy-intensive refrigerated containers for long-distance transport. Cold chain logistics consume significant electricity (often from fossil fuels) to keep perishable goods fresh over thousands of kilometres and several days of travel [1].

(c)(ii) How the water recycling system uses water more efficiently: [2]

1. The water recycling system collects water that drains through the growing trays after passing over plant roots, then filters, sterilises, and recirculates it back to the plants in a closed loop [1].
2. Very little water is lost because the entire system is enclosed, preventing evaporation from soil surfaces and drainage into the ground. On conventional farms, a large proportion of irrigation water evaporates from exposed soil surfaces or drains away unused through the subsoil [1].

(d)(i) Two reasons why some residents may oppose vertical farms: [2]

1. The production cost is 4.80 EUR per kg, four times the 1.20 EUR for imported food. Consumers, especially those on lower incomes, would pay significantly higher prices for locally grown produce at a time when food affordability is already a concern [1].
2. The LED lighting system consumes large amounts of electricity. If this electricity comes from fossil fuel sources, the farm may still contribute substantially to carbon emissions despite eliminating transport emissions. Currently, solar panels supply only 15% of the farm's electricity needs [1].

(d)(ii) One social benefit of community rooftop gardens: [1]

Community rooftop gardens provide shared green spaces where residents can socialise, build community connections, and work together while growing food, helping to reduce social isolation in dense urban areas [1].

(e) How urban farming can improve food security for City M: [2]

1. Growing food within the city reduces dependence on imported food, making the population less vulnerable to disruptions in international supply chains caused by extreme weather events, political conflicts, pandemics, or transport failures [1].
2. Year-round production in vertical farms (365 days vs. 180 for conventional farms) ensures a continuous supply of fresh vegetables even during the long northern European winter, when outdoor growing is impossible and imports become more expensive [1].

(f) Three ways the city government could encourage more local food growing: [3]

1. Provide grants or subsidies to help residents purchase seeds, compost, and growing equipment for home or community gardens, reducing the financial barrier to starting [1].
2. Offer free training workshops on urban growing techniques such as container gardening, composting, and vertical growing methods, giving residents the knowledge and confidence to grow food successfully [1].
3. Reduce business taxes for restaurants, shops, and supermarkets that source a minimum percentage of their produce from local urban farms, creating market demand that makes urban farming economically viable [1].