Switzerland produces only about half of the food it consumes, with very low self-sufficiency production rates for fruits and vegetables. Climate change, urban growth, and global trade risks increasingly challenge this dependency. Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) such as greenhouses or vertical farms can produce food all-year-round offering opportunities to increase resilience, optimize resource use, and integrate food production into urban systems. The CEA4CH project will study how CEA and urban agriculture could increase Switzerland’s food self-sufficiency while reducing environmental impacts. It will

1. develop detailed inventories of energy, material, and land needs,
2. map where CEA could be expanded in cities and peri-urban areas,
3. evaluate economic costs and environmental trade-offs compared to conventional farming.

The project will provide quantifiable evidence of the potential role of CEA in reducing import dependency, easing pressure on agricultural land, and improving dietary self-sufficiency. Results will provide policymakers with evidence on the benefits, trade-offs, and circularity opportunities of integrating CEA in the Swiss food system.