Writer: Minal Jain

Statistics show that on an average, 250 babies are being born every minute and the world cannot afford so much deforestation to clear up lands for agriculture. How then will the earth feed its entire population? One idea is growing food on the sea. And it may not be as far-fetched as you think.

An architecture company in Barcelona came up with the idea of Smart Floating Farms (SFF). These farms are like fish farms, with 3 parts, which combine Fish Farming, Hydroponics and Renewable power technologies. The lowest level involves fish farming which is cultivating freshwater and saltwater fish populations under controlled conditions. This level also includes a hatchery where fish eggs are incubated and hatched, a nursery for growing fish, a slaughterhouse and a storage room to hold the fish before they are ready for the market.

The second level features a greenhouse and hydroponic systems which allows crops to grow year round in any weather and without soil. The nutrients used in hydroponic systems can come from fish excrement.

Finally the top level incorporates rainwater collectors for irrigation needs, photovoltaic panels for electricity and skylight openings to provide natural light for plants. It's also possible to integrate other renewable power technologies such as micro wind turbines or wave energy converter systems.

With this symbiotic relationship of an aquaculture (fish), hydroponics (crops), and photovoltaics (solar power) systems, the SFF could produce food all year round, regardless of water scarcity, drought, and even natural disasters.

Because it does not require natural precipitation or fertile land in order to be effective, it presents people who are living in arid regions and others with a means to grow food for themselves and for profit. Its offshore location benefits from sun and wind exposure, making it easy for the farms to fully power themselves with renewable energy.

We hope this invention could help ease our food crisis!

Source:
https://www.ecowatch.com/giant-solar-floating-farm-could-produce-8-000-tons-of-vegetables-annua-1882045025.html
https://www.solarcostguide.com/guides/solar-floating-farms/
https://www.businessinsider.com/smart-floating-farms-sustainable-forward-thinking-architecture-global-hunger-2015-9
https://globalpossibilities.org/solar-powered-floating-farms-the-new-means-of-global-food-production/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroponics
https://www.planetforward.org/idea/smart-floating-farms

Photo credit:
Forward Thinking Architecture

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