1. © 2013 Institute for the Future for Rockefeller Foundation. All rights reserved. SR-1563B
© 2013 Institute for the Future. All rights reserved. SR-1563B
March 2013
Foresight Engine Game Analysis:
25 Zones of
Future Innovation
© 2013 Institute for the Future for Rockefeller Foundation. All rights reserved. SR-1563B
A project by Institute for the Future and The Rockefeller Foundation
www.iftf.org/our-work/global-landscape/catalysts-for-change/catalysts-zones-of-innovation
Contact: Tessa Finlev, tfinlev@iftf.org

2. © 2013 Institute for the Future for Rockefeller Foundation. All rights reserved. SR-1563B
4 | Hyper-Urban Farming
2

3. © 2013 Institute for the Future for Rockefeller Foundation. All rights reserved. SR-1563B
As more people move into hyper-dense
cities, leaving villages and making
subsistence farming a thing of the past,
the adaptation of farming practices to
urban settings will be paramount in
attaining future resilience and wellbeing.
Urban farmers will continue to explore
innovations like vertical farming and use
permaculture principles to increase
sustainability and self-sufficiency. At the same
time, micro-scale bioscience will make
products from urban farms more nutritious and
mitigate toxicity concerns.
3
4 | Hyper-Urban Farming | Future Innovation
© 2013 Institute for the Future for Rockefeller Foundation. All rights reserved. SR-1563B

4. © 2013 Institute for the Future for Rockefeller Foundation. All rights reserved. SR-1563B
Some of the concepts in this story are already going mainstream, but
players pushed the boundaries as they suggested urban fish farming with
recycled wastewater, enhancing urban food sources with micronutrients and
microfluidic water sources, and connecting urban farming strategies to story-rich
games in order to promote community investment. One player warned about the
potentially dangerous side effects of using contaminated soil for urban farming.
4
4 | Hyper-Urban Farming | From the Players
© 2013 Institute for the Future for Rockefeller Foundation. All rights reserved. SR-1563B

5. © 2013 Institute for the Future for Rockefeller Foundation. All rights reserved. SR-1563B 5
Urban fishing, especially
wastewater aquaculture can
be beneficial to the
environment and feed the local
population.*
India**
4 | Hyper-Urban Farming | Micro-forecasts from the Game
*Cards have been lightly edited for readability
**Player location was self selected

6. © 2013 Institute for the Future for Rockefeller Foundation. All rights reserved. SR-1563B 6
Each of these vertical farms
can have a small website
where they can post available
products, prices and take/ship
orders.
Mexico
4 | Hyper-Urban Farming | Micro-forecasts from the Game
Urban fishing, especially
wastewater aquaculture can
be beneficial to the
environment and feed the
local population.
India

7. © 2013 Institute for the Future for Rockefeller Foundation. All rights reserved. SR-1563B 7
Greenery/vertical farming in
cities is 1) a sight for our sore
eyes, 2) rebuilds our health, 3)
improves energy-efficiency, 4)
food security,
Finland
4 | Hyper-Urban Farming | Micro-forecasts from the Game
Urban fishing, especially
wastewater aquaculture can
be beneficial to the
environment and feed the
local population.
India
Urban farms using microfluidic
water and nutrient delivery to
bioengineered food stocks for
proteins, fats and starches
USA

8. © 2013 Institute for the Future for Rockefeller Foundation. All rights reserved. SR-1563B 8
Permaculture principles to
cities. Urban food production
by a block, creating a
community of living together
self-sufficiently # urbaine
Finland
4 | Hyper-Urban Farming | Micro-forecasts from the Game
Urban farms using microfluidic
water and nutrient delivery to
bioengineered food stocks for
proteins, fats and starches
USA
Urban fishing, especially
wastewater aquaculture can
be beneficial to the
environment and feed the
local population.
India
Greenery/vertical farming in
cities is 1) a sight for our sore
eyes, 2) rebuilds our health,
3) improves energy-efficiency,
4) food security,
Finland

9. © 2013 Institute for the Future for Rockefeller Foundation. All rights reserved. SR-1563B 9
Prague native was surprised
by food gardens in Boston as
heavy metal contamination at
home made it impossible
there. Build clean new soils?
USA
4 | Hyper-Urban Farming | Micro-forecasts from the Game
Urban farms using microfluidic
water and nutrient delivery to
bioengineered food stocks for
proteins, fats and starches
USA
Urban fishing, especially
wastewater aquaculture can
be beneficial to the
environment and feed the
local population.
India
Permaculture principles to
cities. Urban food production
by a block, creating a
community of living together
self-sufficiently # urbaine
Finland
Greenery/vertical farming in
cities is 1) a sight for our sore
eyes, 2) rebuilds our health,
3) improves energy-efficiency,
4) food security,
Finland

10. © 2013 Institute for the Future for Rockefeller Foundation. All rights reserved. SR-1563B 10
In urban areas could map all
unused space & find out if we
could start growing food on it.
get whole community involved
to reduce vandalism.
UK
4 | Hyper-Urban Farming | Micro-forecasts from the Game
Urban farms using microfluidic
water and nutrient delivery to
bioengineered food stocks for
proteins, fats and starches
USA
Urban fishing, especially
wastewater aquaculture can
be beneficial to the
environment and feed the
local population.
India
Permaculture principles to
cities. Urban food production
by a block, creating a
community of living together
self-sufficiently # urbaine
Finland
Prague native was surprised
by food gardens in Boston as
heavy metal contamination at
home made it impossible
there. Build clean new soils?
USA
Greenery/vertical farming in
cities is 1) a sight for our sore
eyes, 2) rebuilds our health,
3) improves energy-efficiency,
4) food security,
Finland

11. © 2013 Institute for the Future for Rockefeller Foundation. All rights reserved. SR-1563B 11
Each of these vertical farms
can have a small website
where they can post available
products, prices and take/ship
orders.
Mexico
4 | Hyper-Urban Farming | Micro-forecasts from the Game
Urban farms using microfluidic
water and nutrient delivery to
bioengineered food stocks for
proteins, fats and starches
USA
Urban fishing, especially
wastewater aquaculture can
be beneficial to the
environment and feed the
local population.
India
Permaculture principles to
cities. Urban food production
by a block, creating a
community of living together
self-sufficiently # urbaine
Finland
Prague native was surprised
by food gardens in Boston as
heavy metal contamination at
home made it impossible
there. Build clean new soils?
USA
Greenery/vertical farming in
cities is 1) a sight for our sore
eyes, 2) rebuilds our health,
3) improves energy-efficiency,
4) food security,
Finland
In urban areas could map all
unused space & find out if we
could start growing food on it.
get whole community involved
to reduce vandalism.
UK

12. © 2013 Institute for the Future for Rockefeller Foundation. All rights reserved. SR-1563B 12
4 | Hyper-Urban Farming | Micro-forecasts from the Game
Urban farms using microfluidic
water and nutrient delivery to
bioengineered food stocks for
proteins, fats and starches
USA
Urban fishing, especially
wastewater aquaculture can
be beneficial to the
environment and feed the
local population.
India
Permaculture principles to
cities. Urban food production
by a block, creating a
community of living together
self-sufficiently # urbaine
Finland
In urban areas could map all
unused space & find out if we
could start growing food on it.
get whole community involved
to reduce vandalism.
UK
Greenery/vertical farming in
cities is 1) a sight for our sore
eyes, 2) rebuilds our health,
3) improves energy-efficiency,
4) food security,
Finland
Prague native was surprised
by food gardens in Boston as
heavy metal contamination at
home made it impossible
there. Build clean new soils?
USA
Each of these vertical farms
can have a small website
where they can post available
products, prices and take/ship
orders.
Mexico

13. © 2013 Institute for the Future for Rockefeller Foundation. All rights reserved. SR-1563B
Signals from the Present
13
4 | Hyper-Urban Farming

14. © 2013 Institute for the Future for Rockefeller Foundation. All rights reserved. SR-1563B 14
The city of Cleveland has been
converting abandoned houses into
urban farms.
Peng Qiugen: China’s Celebrity
Urban Farmer
Peng Qiugen, having grown as much
as 400kg of watermelon on his roof in
one year, has been leading China’s
move towards urban farming.
4 | Hyper-Urban Farming | Signals from the Present
Turning Abandoned Houses into
Urban Farms
Image Source: www.urbangardensweb.com/2011/12/22/chinas-growing-
urban-population-sprouts-urban-farms/
Image Source: www.inhabitat.com/thousands-of-vacant-houses-set-to-
bloom-into-urban-gardens-in-cleveland-ohio/cleveland-ohio-urban-
gardens-by-cleveland-kid-2/?extend=1
A project by Institute for the Future and The Rockefeller Foundation
www.iftf.org/our-work/global-landscape/catalysts-for-change/catalysts-zones-of-innovation

15. © 2013 Institute for the Future for Rockefeller Foundation. All rights reserved. SR-1563B
© 2013 Institute for the Future. All rights reserved. SR-1563B
March 2013
Foresight Engine Game Analysis:
25 Zones of
Future Innovation
© 2013 Institute for the Future for Rockefeller Foundation. All rights reserved. SR-1563B
A project by Institute for the Future and The Rockefeller Foundation
www.iftf.org/our-work/global-landscape/catalysts-for-change/catalysts-zones-of-innovation
Contact: Tessa Finlev, tfinlev@iftf.org