Baltic farming
Can you grow edible plants in salt water?
The Baltic Sea is in trouble and Poland is in the process of desertification. Our sea is affected by all the negative effects of climate change and irresponsible human activities as water and air pollution that causes acidification. In addition, the area of northern Poland is lowering in relation to the Baltic Sea by approx. 2 mm per year, while the water level itself increases due to the melting of the world's ice resources. Additionally, Poland is one of the poorest countries in Europe when it comes to freshwater resources.
These are the real threats that will have a huge impact on agriculture and food security. We should be prepared for it. That is why at NASDRA we are currently testing the possibilities of growing edible plants in salty Baltic water. During the "Baltic Farming" exhibition, we will present a set of farms using soilless cultivation technologies – hydroponics and aeroponics. It is an innovative approach to agriculture, the aim of which is to reduce the use of soil and fresh water, which will soon become difficult to access. Thanks to this, we can better prepare for the upcoming changes and threats.
Baltic farming
saltwater farms installation and a proposal of serving the grown plants
2022
Can we grow food in the salty Baltic water? Could such farms purify seawater and support climate action? We try to answer these questions by building a hydroponic installation in which we use Baltic water to grow edible plants.
Negative effects of climate change in Poland; the process of desertification; reduction of biodiversity; development of extensive agriculture, ineffective water management; acidification of the Baltic Sea and the increasing amount of CO2 in the air, as well as the lowering level of northern Poland in relation to the Baltic Sea level / (approx. 2 mm / year) direct threat of sea floods / – these are phenomena that we can use as an opportunity and try to grow valuable plants in salt Baltic water.
At the same time, it relieves degraded soil and reduces the use of freshwater.
