Sustainable Food Production

Due to the permafrost conditions found in the tundra biomes, it is not easy to grow traditional crops because of the lack of sunlight and cold conditions. Additionally, penetration of the soil is also made difficult due to the permafrost, meaning that most plants cannot receive the required nutrients needed for plant growth.

Farmers use specific methods to conserve arable land and reduce water use, as water is scarce in tundras. A way farmers grow plants in these harsh conditions is through permaculture, which includes special shelters to maintain warmth, UV lights and heaters to create the conditions plants need to grow well, and water-saving measures such as water recycling to ensure enough water for all the plants to be well-watered.

Technology has allowed tundra growth to improve. With the invention of UV LEDs, farms have a cheap way to supplement plants with the UVA/B/C and Vitamin D that they require. Additionally, new water-saving technologies have enabled greater water conservation and a more reliable potable water supply for both human and plant consumption. These methods are more sustainable because they are significantly cheaper than other methods and don't require as much space.

Future solutions can significantly improve crop production by addressing access to water supplies; improved technology can provide cheaper ways to access underground aquifers, enabling more intensive growth; and easy access to and modification of genetic material can improve the ability to develop basic products that survive natively in harsh conditions.