Vertical farming, especially in its modular form, could be a great addition to large sporting events and venues.

I, like many of you, have been at least casually watching the 2024 Paris Olympics. True to who I am, I couldn’t help but think about what’s going on behind the scenes - what does it take to launch a worldwide event like this?

As someone who spends a lot of time in the food supply chain - spending time learning and optimizing how food gets produced, transported, and sold to consumers - I wanted to dive deeper. How exactly did they pull this off, when most (temporary) sporting events are a logistical nightmare.

First, it’s important to give kudos where it's deserved. The Paris Games are reportedly the most sustainable yet.

Most sustainable games to date

• The 13 million meals to be served at the Olympic and Paralympic Games will produce less than half the carbon emissions of the average French meal: 1kg compared to 2.3kg.

• The plant-based ingredients in these meals will be doubled, while 80 per cent of ingredients will be sourced from local agriculture, a quarter of them within 250km of the respective venues.

• There is a 50 per cent reduction in single use plastics compared to the London 2012 Olympics. The lifecycle of the meal from sourcing local ingredients, to reusable packaging, to reducing food waste is carefully thought out to use resources as efficiently as possible.

It can be easy to say, “let’s just do it the way we’ve always done.” But it is more rewarding to say, “how can we do better?”

Beyond the Olympics, I want to suggest that events with complex catering logistics (Formula 1, World Cups, and other temporary sporting event set ups) could benefit from modular vertical farming.

Here’s how sporting events benefit from container farming:

• Local Production: Modular vertical farms can be set up close to event venues, reducing the need for long-distance transportation and ensuring a steady supply of fresh produce.

• Space Efficiency: Modular vertical farms require less land than traditional farming. This is particularly beneficial in urban areas where space is limited, allowing for high-density food production near the event site. Most events use sea-cans or containers in their setups to begin with anyways.

• Weather Resilience: Vertical farming allows for controlled environment agriculture, enabling the production of crops year-round regardless of external weather conditions. This ensures a consistent supply of fresh produce throughout the event. Winter Olympics anyone?

• Reduced Supply Chain Risks: By producing food on-site or nearby, vertical farms can reduce the risks associated with supply chain disruptions, which are common in large-scale events due to increased demand and logistical challenges.

• Contribution to Sustainability Goals: Vertical farming uses less water and pesticides than traditional farming, aligning with sustainability goals that are often part of large international events like the Olympics.

• Nutrient-Rich Produce: Controlled growing conditions and shorter transport times can optimize the nutritional content of produce, which is beneficial for athletes who require high-quality nutrition.

One aspect that was highlighted during the Paris 2024 Olympics was the “second life” that the arenas, sporting venues, and even Olympic Village would have after the games. In my scenario, the modular vertical farms added would remain and flourish as a source of local, fresh produce.

Large global events have the potential to leave their impact well after the athletes have gone home - let’s make sure it’s a positive one.