>But getting millions or billions of people to start growing food instead of lawns. That is a challenge.
I have a feeling it's likely an intractable one, at least in Western society.
People like convenient, simple, self-contained, magic solutions that don't involve compromise.
My guess is residential agriculture might take off upon the advent of a device analogous to the personal 3D printer. Grow whatever you want at the click of a mouse.
On the other hand, if things take a turn for the worse, I suppose we could see a phenomenon similar to victory gardens arise out of necessity.
I don't think it's a 'western' thing. I think it's more an 'urban' thing. Once people move to cities, they mentally leave behind the 'agrarian' aspect for more 'modern' living.
Urban farming will be a 'thing' for mostly upwardly mobile professionals who have time to spend in their vegetable garden in lieu of a flower garden. however, most people will not have the patience to watch over their vegetable gardens --it's not as though plants just take care of themselves to be productive.
it's not as though plants just take care of themselves to be productive
Some do and some don't. Whoever built the house we are renting planted persimmon, pomegranate, tangerine, orange, and lemon trees in the front and backyard. We do nothing for them: trim, water, or fertilize. And this is California, so no water during the drought for the last few years. Yet our biggest problem is the mess the fruit makes when it drops, and the rats and squirrels and raccoons that are rooting around eating the fruit. We probably have to throw away around 100 pounds of fruit a year. I'm sure experiences vary depending what and where you grow.
I have a feeling it's likely an intractable one, at least in Western society.
People like convenient, simple, self-contained, magic solutions that don't involve compromise.
My guess is residential agriculture might take off upon the advent of a device analogous to the personal 3D printer. Grow whatever you want at the click of a mouse.
On the other hand, if things take a turn for the worse, I suppose we could see a phenomenon similar to victory gardens arise out of necessity.