A Saskatoon professor says she thinks it’s time remote communities explore the possibility of growing their own fruit and vegetables.

Dr. Karen Tanino is pitching the idea of constructing pre-fabricated greenhouses throughout Saskatchewan’s north.

An instructor at the University of Saskatchewan, Tanino explains the greenhouses she’s talking about could actually be shipped into each community:

“Very simple construction — almost an IKEA type of approach — where it would be a greenhouse that would be simple, yet insulated.  It could be sent out in boxes and packages with instructions, and the local construction companies could come in and build it.”

She adds the units would partially operate on solar energy and would be made of a light material with a thermal blanket on the side.

Tanino notes some heating would be needed, but she adds the upside would be fresh food the entire year.

She says it is getting tougher for many people to get enough nutrition to live an active and healthy lifestyle.