Soil-less Agriculture Is Expanding

By AYŞENUR BOZKURT İSTANBUL
Since the water is provided to the plants in a controlled environment, it can be utilized efficiently and waste can be avoided. Irrigation is done through an automatic process.

The concept of "soil-less agriculture" may be new for many of us, but it is important for global agriculture -- specifically for providing food for billions of people at a time when global warming and drought have reduced agricultural efficiency. With global warming, the availability of water has decreased, resulting in increasing levels of famine. Soil-less agriculture may be the solution, or at least a part of the solution, in a number of climates.

How can the agriculture industry develop without soil? Speaking with Today's Business, Professor Sermin Akıncı, a lecturer at the agriculture faculty of Sütçü İmam University in Kahramanmaraş, defines it as "a kind of agricultural production in which plants are fed through a number of materials, such as shavings, bark, compost, sand, pebbles and processed clay in organic and inorganic environments."

There are many reasons why soil-less agriculture is preferred by many farmers. Loss of soil, the problem of weeds and the excessive need for fertilizer and water can be listed as the leading reasons for switching to soil-less crops. "Since the world's rapid population growth requires meeting increasing food needs, there is a risk that soil may not be efficient enough," Akıncı notes. "This system is used in some countries that do not have normal, adequate soil for agriculture, such as Arab countries and Israel, which have many desert areas, and Japan, where the territory is inclined and stony," she adds. "Crop areas are left fallow when the soil is exhausted, but this is not a solution for top efficiency and it is neither economical nor practical." She argues that soil-less agriculture is a cultivation method that can be applied in every type of region that is not appropriate for cultivation."

In soil where the same crops are always planted, diseases and weeds may become chronic problems. The use of insecticides and herbicides to cope with such problems is harmful for consumers' health and the environment and it also presents problem for exporting crops.

Akıncı contends that with soil-less agriculture it is possible to overcome these chronic issues. "It is possible to sterilize plant food mixture and cultivation area to feed the plants, and root diseases can be prevented," she explains, adding: "Since the cultivation process is controlled carefully, the risk of a crop being attacked by harmful insects can be minimized. Soil-less agriculture provides a way to eliminate weeds and it also minimizes the need for hormones. It is a solution that does not give rise to air pollution and does not harm human health."

Many proponents of soil-less farming point out that the use of fertilizer required by normal cultivation methods causes environmental pollution, but that with soil-less agriculture it is possible that to provide sufficient nourishment without fertilizer. The limited use of fertilizer helps the process. Moreover, temperature and oxygen levels can be controlled, which also helps the nourishment process.

Because of global warming, the world's water resources are in danger. Traditional agricultural methods relying on soil waste water because the soil absorbs water after the plants use what they need and the rest goes evaporates into the air. Traditional methods use four to five times the water required in soil-less farming, industry advocates argue. Since the water is provided to the plants in a controlled environment, it can be utilized efficiently and waste can be avoided. Irrigation is done through an automatic process. The system works very well and the crops grown with this type of farming yield more fruit.

However, there are some challenges to soil-less farming. First and foremost, it requires technological investment and modern equipment. But because the revenue from these crops will be maximized, the system can pay for itself in just a few years.

Since different food mixtures are needed to cultivate different plants, farmers must be familiar with the necessary elements for replacing soil. If the mixture is made with incorrect ratios, the crops may be lost at harvest time.

In the integrated soil-less agriculture system, which reuses water over and over, there is some risk of in the early stages of crop development. If the system malfunctions, environmental pollution may result.

Akıncı says: "The sector is growing fast and becoming institutionalized, especially in cities such as İzmir, Antalya and Mersin. And more are following the suit, including Manisa, Muğla, Adana, Aydın, Kütahya, Denizli, Kahramanmaraş and Şanlıurfa."

The crop most commonly cultivated through the soil-less system is tomato, two to three times as efficient as traditional methods, particularly in winter. But pepper, aubergine, cucumber and melon can also be cultivated in this way. Of course, the method is not restricted to edible crops, and flowers such as roses, tulips and orchids can be grown.

Soil-less agriculture is expanding throughout the world, particularly in the US, Japan, Holland, England, Canada, Germany, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the Bahamas, Kuwait, Brazil, Poland, Singapore, Iran and the United Arab Emirates.

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Global warming

The ocean and its inhabitants will be irreversibly affected by the impacts of global warming and climate change. Scientists say that global warming, by increasing sea water temperatures, will raise sea levels and change ocean currents.

Ocean Currents

The water in our world's oceans is always moving – pulled by tides, blown by waves, and slowly circulating around the globe by the force of the Great Ocean Conveyor Belt (also called thermohaline circulation). The Conveyor is powered by differences is water temperature and salinity, and one of its most well known parts, the Gulf Stream, is what gives Europe it's relatively mild climate.

Aside from keeping Europe warm, and playing an important role in the global climate, the Conveyor provides an up welling of bottom ocean nutrients, and increases the oceanic absorption of carbon dioxide.


What could go badly wrong

Worryingly, recent studies warn that we may already have evidence of a slower Conveyor circulation over the Scotland-Greenland deep ocean ridge. And while the Conveyor appears to have operated fairly reliably over the past several thousand years, an examination of ice cores from both Greenland and Antarctica shows that this has not always been the case. In the more distant past, changes to the Conveyor circulation are associated with abrupt climate change.

In short, dilution of the ocean's salinity - from melting Arctic ice (such as the Greenland ice sheet) and/or increased precipitation - could switch off, slow down or divert the Conveyor. This dramatic cooling would mean a massive disruption to European agriculture and climate, and impact other sea currents and temperatures around the globe.


Sea Level Rise

A global average sea level rise of 9-88 cm (3.5–34.6 inches) is expected over the next hundred years, thanks to the greenhouse gasses we have emitted to date and likely future emissions. This will come in roughly equal measure from melting ice and from thermal expansion of the oceans (water expands as it heats up).

Even this comparatively modest projected sea level rise will wreak havoc. Coastal flooding and storm damage, eroding shorelines, salt water contamination of fresh water supplies, agricultural areas, flooding of coastal wetlands and barrier islands, and an increase in the salinity of estuaries are all realities of even a small amount of sea level rise. Some low lying costal cities and villages will also be affected. Resources critical to island and coastal populations such as beaches, freshwater, fisheries, coral reefs and atolls, and wildlife habitat is also at risk.


The West Antarctic ice sheet

Only four years ago, it was commonly accepted that the West Antarctic ice sheet was stable, but unexpected melting in the region is causing scientists to re-think this assumption.

In 2002, the 500 billion tonne Larsen B ice shelf, which covered an area twice the size of greater London, disintegrated in less than a month. This did not directly add to sea level rise since the ice shelf was already floating, but it was a dramatic reminder of the effects of warming in the area.

Then in 2005, the British Antarctic Survey released findings that 87 percent of the glaciers on the Antarctic Peninsula have retreated over the past 50 years. In the past five years, the retreating glaciers have lost an average of 50 metres (164 feet) per year.

Potentially, the West Antarctic ice sheet could contribute an additional six metres (20 feet) to sea level rise. Although the chances of this are considered low in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Third Assessment report, recent research indicates new evidence of massive ice discharge from the ice sheet.

The entire Antarctic ice sheet holds enough water to raise global sea levels by 62 metres (203 feet).


The Greenland glaciers

In July 2005, scientists aboard the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise made a stunning discovery - evidence that Greenland’s glaciers are melting at an unprecedented rate. It's just more evidence that climate change is no longer on the horizon, it has arrived at our doorstep, and if you live in a coastal city, that's not just a figure of speech.

Findings indicated that the Kangerdlugssuaq Glacier on Greenland's east coast could be one of the fastest moving glaciers in the world with a speed of almost 14 kilometres per year. The measurements were made using high precision GPS survey methods. In addition, the glacier unexpectedly receded approximately five kilometres since 2001 after maintaining a stable position for the past 40 years.

Greenland’s massive ice sheet locks up more than six percent of the world’s fresh water supply, and it is melting much faster than expected. If Greenland were to melt fully, it would cause sea levels around the globe to rise by nearly 20 feet. Even measurements of four to five feet of sea level rise could mean that places like New York, Amsterdam, Venice and Bangladesh will experience flooding in low lying areas.

The alarming retreat of the Kangerdlugssuaq Glacier suggests that the entire Greenland ice sheet may be melting far more rapidly than previously believed. All current scientific forecasts for global warming had assumed slower rates of melting. This new evidence suggests that the threat of global warming is much greater and more urgent than previously believed.


Habitat Loss

Temperature rises are impacting on the entire marine food web. For example, phytoplankton, which feeds small crustaceans including krill, grow under sea ice. A reduction in sea ice implies a reduction in krill - and krill feeds many whale species, including the great whales.

Whales and dolphins strand themselves in high temperatures. The great whales also risk losing their feeding grounds, in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica, because of the melting and collapse of ice shelves.

Whole species of marine animals and fish are directly at risk due to the temperature rise - they simply cannot survive in warmer waters. Some penguin populations, for example, have decreased by 33 percent in parts of Antarctica, because of habitat decline.

An increasing occurrence of disease in marine animals is also linked to rising ocean temperatures.

THE TRUTH ABOUT OUR WATER...

Is buying bottled water about as green as firing up a million patio heaters? Is our mains supply safe to drink, or is it contaminated with drugs? And can you really demand a restaurant serves you tap water? We sift through the hype…

IS BOTTLED WATER BAD FOR THE PLANET?
The H2O furore all comes down to carbon. A litre of tap water generates 0.3g of CO2, while a 750ml bottle of mineral water can have a footprint up to 300 times higher. ‘Bottled water is expensive, unnecessary and damages the environment,’ says Richard Watts from eco campaigners Sustain.
However, the Bottled Water Association (BWA) has a few stats of its own. ‘We only account for 0.03% of total UK carbon emissions,’ says Liz Bastone. ‘There’s a misconception about bottled water being flown around the globe, when 75% comes from the UK.’

While bottled H2O is only a tiny part of the global warming issue, water is in a unique position in that it’s literally on tap. ‘You can’t avoid the fact there is really no need for bottled water, except in emergencies,’ says Richard.

DOES RECYCLING MAKE BOTTLED WATER ECO-FRIENDLY?
Most bottled water now comes in PET packaging, which is 100% recyclable and requires less plastic in the first place to make it. One mineral water company told Celebs On Sunday that these facts made its product ‘kind to the environment’. True? Not according to Sustain. ‘Only around 20% of plastic bottles get recycled, and the majority ends up in a landfill or being dumped at sea,’ says Richard. ‘Recycling does spare resources, and I’d encourage everyone to do it, but most bottles are transported to China for recycling, which has its own environmental cost. It also takes a lot of petrol to make the bottles in the first place, even if they are re-used.’

IS TAP WATER SAFE?
The mains supply is independently tested for everything from bugs to chemicals, and last year 99.96% of water met government and World Health Organisation standards. And that other 0.04%? ‘The most common problem is rusty iron deposits, which are not harmful but turn water orange,’ says Sue Penniston from the Drinking Water Inspectorate. ‘Our last prosecution was of a company that supplied water containing the parasite cryptosporidium, which made a number of people ill. But that is incredibly rare.’ Tellingly, even the Bottled Water Association doesn’t make any health claims for mineral water over tap. ‘It’s an issue of choice, not health, and we wouldn’t question the safety of tap water,’ says BWA’s Liz.

IS MY WORK’s WATER COOLER ECO-FRIENDLY?
Sustain advocates using coolers that filter the mains supply rather than ones that use bottled water. However, the British Water Cooler Association, currently calculating the carbon footprint for both types, says it’s not a simple matter of good coolers vs bad.
‘The bottles used in water coolers are refilled for five years before being recycled, and none end up in landfill,’ says Michael Barnett from the BWCA. If your office has a water cooler, make sure you are taking advantage of the BWCA scheme to collect cups for recycling.

IS TAP WATER POLLUTED BY DRUGS?
There have been some alarming headlines about drugs, such as the Pill, trickling into our water supply, but the truth is more complex. ‘This scare stems from an Environment Agency report about drug residues found in river water, which people then wrongly equated to drinking water,’ says Sue from DWI. ‘Although some of the UK’s drinking water is sourced from rivers, it’s purified before reaching the tap.’
An independent report found water treatment reduced drug residues to negligible levels, and even in the worst case scenario, where tiny residues from all the different types of painkillers were grouped together, tap water showed ‘no significant risk to health’.

SHOULD I FILTER TAP WATER?
Filters get the eco thumbs up from Sustain, and can improve the taste of tap water. ‘Filters take out chlorine, which is necessary for killing bacteria but can affect taste,’ says Anna Gilbert from Brita (www.brita.net). ‘We don’t make any health claims for filtering, though, because tap water is already safe. Filters can further reduce residues, such as pesticides, but these are already at safe levels in tap water.’ The one exception is if your house has lead piping, which can contaminate tap water. ‘Water is monitored for lead levels, but only when it’s in the mains,’ says Sue. Filtering removes lead by more than 90%. If you have lead pipes, your water company can test lead levels for you.

CAN A RESTAURANT REFUSE ME TAP WATER?
Absolutely not, so stand your ground if a restaurant claims they can’t provide tap water on ‘regulation’ grounds. ‘All restaurants need a fresh water supply and there is no reason why they can’t serve tap water,’ says Eve Buckland from the Consumer Council for Water. ‘You don’t need a license for it. Restaurants should offer tap water just as they do salt and pepper. UK consumers have invested £70 billion in the water industry since privatisation and we should demand our money’s worth.’

HOW CAN I MAKE MY WATER GREENER?
Drink tap water at home and chill or filter it if you don’t like the taste. Blind tests show people can’t tell the difference between bottled water and chilled tap water.
Buy a reusable bottle to carry tap water when you’re out and about.
Always recycle plastic bottles and support water cooler cup recyling schemes.
Order tap water at restaurants.

If you do buy bottled water, buy British to reduce food miles, and look for companies who are investing in carbon offsets or biodegradable bottles, such as carbon-neutral Belu (www.belu.org). But bear in mind that all bottles require energy to make.

Words: Lynne Hyland.