The aim of the study: to create transparency around the actual climate impact of herbs – and at the same time review their vision of a resource-efficient agricultural future.
YASAI is rethinking agriculture
YASAI represents a new chapter in food production: local, space-optimised and unaffected by weather. Under its motto of “Grow more with less”, the company has been cultivating 1,100 m2 of basil, dill and coriander under ideal conditions at its vertical indoor farm in Niederhasli since 2022. With LED lighting, innovative substrates, circulatory systems and other state-of-the-art technologies, the company can grow herbs year-round without the use of chemical pesticides. Their vision is to shift food production to urban areas – where large numbers of people live, where space is limited, and where demand for fresh herbs is high.
To find out how this new system rates against conventional farming methods, myclimate compared YASAI’s “vertical farming” with the greenhouse and outdoor cultivation of herb producer Mäder Kräuter at sites in Switzerland, Israel, Morocco, Kenya and South Africa. The results show that the carbon footprint* per 20 gram pack varies greatly; depending on the production method and location it can range between 75 g and 458 g of CO₂.
Vertical better in winter – outdoor in summer
Climate-relevant factors vary depending on the system. While power consumption for LED lighting, substrate (Growfoam) and packaging are the main factors in vertical cultivation, the highest emissions in outdoor production come from transport (especially air freight), packaging and infrastructure. Although a range of production optimisations at YASAI led to a reduction in CO2 emissions in 2023, the values for summer months fall short of the results for the greenhouse and outdoor production of Mäder Kräuter, which grows exclusively in Switzerland from April to October. But in the winter months, when Mäder Kräuter imports the majority of its herbs into Switzerland, the YASAI vertical system offers a reduced-CO2 alternative. This is when it really comes into its own, with short transport routes, consistent quality and controlled cultivation – regardless of climate and weather conditions.
The study shows that no type of cultivation is best per se – instead it’s the framework conditions that matter. These results will allow producers to make targeted adjustments that offer the greatest impact.
A system with development potential
One thing is abundantly clear: targeted optimisations would reduce the producers’ carbon footprints further. For YASAI, there is particular savings potential in energy consumption, packaging and fertiliser. By consistently optimising its production – as it did in summer 2023 – the start-up will be able to reduce the carbon footprint of each pack of basil to the level of organic outdoor production in Switzerland. But beyond the carbon footprint, there are other future topics that are relevant here. Increasing drought, soil erosion and resource scarcity make vertical farming a particularly interesting prospect – as a resilient solution for sustainable nutrition in a changing world.
myclimate recommends regular reassessment of CO₂ emissions – at least every three years. This modality makes progress visible and allows new reduction potential to be tapped.
*The study shows all greenhouse gas emissions as CO₂ equivalents (CO₂e). In addition to carbon dioxide (CO₂), this includes other greenhouse gases such as methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O), weighted according to their global warming potential.
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