Framework based on a coupled input-yield model for infrastructure-driven agriculture

As the population and demand for food increases, the need to produce food locally in a sustainable manner is imperative for a country's food security. Traditional agriculture in arid regions faces difficulties due to non-arable land and harsh climate, hindering crop growth. Controlled environment agriculture, particularly greenhouses, offers a practical solution by protecting crops from external elements and supplying necessary resources. However, controlled environment agriculture systems require significant energy and water resources to sustain optimal conditions for crop development. In greenhouse operations, the innovative approach of the potential repurposing of excessive cooling from underutilised mega infrastructure could lead to cost savings and more efficient production. Therefore, this research introduces a novel approach that utilises the infrastructure from the 2022 FIFA World Cup™ for agricultural purposes. It presents a unique methodology for the dual use of large-scale facilities, focusing on integrating agricultural systems near stadiums using existing cooling systems and space. The results indicate that at optimal conditions, such as day and night temperatures of 18 °C and 24 °C, tomatoes can be produced for $3.50 kg^-1. Furthermore, the developed framework is flexible and can be applied globally for co-utilising infrastructure for agricultural production.