You may not think that a desert is the best place to build a farm, but in Australia, that is exactly what the team at Sundrop Farms has done, and so far, it’s working quite well. Spanning over 20 hectares in the South Australian desert lays 23,000 mirrors that produce free energy for electricity and water conversion. Although it’s not quite enough to power the whole farm using renewable energy, it does manage to cover around 85%.
Sundrop Farms officially launched on October 6th and used seawater from the Spencer Gulf as its sole irrigation source. The water is desalinated, and the correct nutrients added to allow the growing to begin. They grow plants in coconut husks and also use carnivorous bugs to protect the plants from other critters. Because of their ingenuity and innovativeness, Sundrop Farms has managed to secure a 10-year deal with Coles to supply them with 15,000 tons of tomatoes per year. While $200 million needed for the construction of the farm, $100 million was added by investors with Sundrop providing the rest.
In Australia, tomatoes are a big seller, but in the winter, there is normally an insufficient supply of them. But now, with thanks to Sundrop, this can become a problem of the past. With this type of sustainable farming there is no more concern over shortages due to adverse weather conditions and more farms of this nature will be opening soon in Odemira, Portugal, and Tennessee, U.S. No details have been released yet as to what these farms will be producing, but the farm’s spokesperson has said, “Those projects may take a different format.” Other countries around the world are also taking action to ensure sustainable farming methods are employed.
India has more than 650,000 organic farmers now, Israel grows organic seaweed, and Abu Dhabi is raising fish for food and growing plants that are effective for making biofuel. It’s great to see so many countries efforts to save the planet come into action, and you can be sure there are more to come, and together we really can make a difference.
More News To Read
