The only vertical farming I see as part of a sustainable future is Agroforestry. As for the rest of vertical farming, their wastefulness becomes even more evident once one considers that the nutritional profile of its production is often comparable (or even inferior) to that of weeds.

For an alternative framework (rather than an alternative technique) take a look at Agroecology http://www.srfood.org/en/report-agroecology-and-the-right-to...