FUTURE FOOD PRODUCTIONFOOD FOR THOUGHT

Ing. M.J. Vermeij, Bom Group

GFIA Utrecht 9th May 2017Web: www.bomgroup.nl

Email: m.vermeij@bomgroup.nl

What do we know?

Some individual topics….at high speed….

• Increasing population

• Increasing pollution (air, soil, plastics)

• Increasing global temperature / global warming

• Increasing extremes in climate

• Decreasing availability of fresh (sweet) water

• Increasing demand for food

INCREASING POPULATION

5 million per month = population of Singapore

World cities 2050, UN report

Increasing pollution (air, soil, plastics)

www.nasa.gov

Global insecticide runoff hazard map, www.ufz.de

POLLUTION

Increasing global temperature / global warming

http://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/Retreat of South Cascade Glacier, Washington

1964

Increasing global temperature / global warming

5 year average variation on

global surface temperatures

Dark blue: cooler than average.

Dark red: warmer than average.

Source:

www.climate.nasa.gov

Global warming / evidence

1964

Increasing global temperature / global warming

1974

Increasing global temperature / global warming

1978

Increasing global temperature / global warming

1982

Increasing global temperature / global warming

1986

Increasing global temperature / global warming

1988

Increasing global temperature / global warming

1992

Increasing global temperature / global warming

1994

Increasing global temperature / global warming

1996

Increasing global temperature / global warming

1998

Increasing global temperature / global warming

2002

Increasing global temperature / global warming

2006

Increasing global temperature / global warming

2007

Increasing global temperature / global warming

2008

Increasing global temperature / global warming

2009

Increasing global temperature / global warming

2010

Increasing global temperature / global warming

2011

Increasing global temperature / global warming

2012

Increasing global temperature / global warming

2013

Increasing global temperature / global warming

Conclusion:

It is getting warmer on planet earth!!!

2014

Increasing global temperature / global warming

CO2 level in our air (ppm)

GLOBAL WARMING

Fact or fiction?

What do we leave behind for the next

generation?

How can we feed the next generation?

Effects of global warming

• Bewijs van intenser klimaat

Effects of global warming

Mississippi flood, Boston 2008 & 2011 Flood by rain in city Wuhan, China 2012Flood by rain Mooreland, Southwest England 2014

AND SHORTAGE OF (FRESH) WATER

WATERFOOTPRINT (= Awareness)

1kg chicken

3.900 liter

1kg corn

900 liter

1kg wheat

1.300 liter

ENERGY

MORE PEOPLE

MORE

&

BETTER

FOOD

LESS LANDLESS WATER

ENOUGH

ENERGY!

FOODPRODUCTION

…………………..

FOODPRODUCTION

• Wide approach on foodproduce and foodsupply:

• Produce local as much as possible

• Produce as efficient as possible (high yield low water & energy use)

• Recycle as much as possible

• EDUCATE!

Kg/m2 %

Ltr/kg

FOODPRODUCTION

As of tomorrow stop with open field cultivation?→ For watersaving? YES

→ To stop pollution of soil by pesticides? YES

→ Will it save energy and water? Yes it will save water, huge amounts…

→ Realistic? NO.

Crops like corn, wheat, rye, rice are grown most economical in open field

Crops like potatoes, cabbage, onions, garlic and lettuce are logical candidates for cultivation in a

“covered and conditioned environment”

OPEN FIELD CULTIVATION

FOODPRODUCTION

As of tomorrow everything in a Greenhouse?→ For watersaving? YES2 (double yes)

→ For reduction of pesticides? YES3 (triple yes) → biological crop protection

→ To reduce water and energy? Water usage will decrease enormous. Energy will increase, due to increase of

technology.

→ TO BE ABLE TO CULTIVATE IN A CHALLANGING CLIMATE → YES

Production increase 3-4x more compared to open field, climate independent

Watersaving up to 90% compared to open field

For: High wire crops like Tomato, Cucumber, Bell Pepper, Eggplant and

Strawberries, Blueberries, lettuce, herbs, potplants, cutflowers

GREENHOUSE CULTIVATION

FOODPRODUCTION

As of tomorrow everything in Daylight Free / Cityfarm?→ For watersaving? YES2 (double yes)

→ For reduction of pesticides? YES3 (triple yes) → biological crop protection

→ To reduce water and energy? Water usage will decrease enormous. Energy will increase, due to increase

of technology, more than for a greenhouse.

Production increase 3-4x more compared to open field

Watersaving up to 95% compared to open field

For: Perfect for short cycle crops like lettuce, herbs.

Possible for small crops with longer cultivation cycle like strawberries, potplants

DAYLIGHT FREE / CITYFARM

FUTURE SOLUTIONS:Focus on most economically feasible →

what to produce for what market at what marketprice?

High quality youngplants year round → high efficient final cultivation

Multi layer controlled, in m3 in Greenhouse, in m2

Our reference / Our experience:

http://www.worldatlas.com

Country Population (million) Area (km2)

USA 324,9 9.833.520

Netherlands 17,1 41.543

Germany 82,1 357.168

Brazil 207,3 8.515.767

France 67 643.801

China 1373,5 9.596.961

Spain 46,4 505.990

Canada 35,1 9.984.670

Belgium 11,2 30.528

Italy 60,6 301.338

ONE SOLUTION?1. STOP WASTE (B&C quality production = also waste)

2. STOP POLUTION (Reduce pesticides to ZERO → biological crop protection)

3. PROMOTE PROTECTED (COVERED) CULTIVATION →

Hydroponic / Aeroponic in Greenhouse or Vertical Farm

4. AS LOCAL AS POSSIBLE & FEASIBLE

5. EAT LESS MEAT (MORE FISH) AND MORE VEGETABLES

6. THINK IN M2 AND M3 (optimal solution can be combination of both….)

EVERY REGION, MEGA CITY AND CULTURE HAS IT'S OWN SPECIFICATIONS AND REQUESTS

→IT’S OWN SOLUTION!

NO!

WHAT TO DO?

• STOP FANTASIZING, START REALIZING

• MAKE A STATEMENT

– GET INVOLVED

– CREATE AWARENESS

• GET THE KNOWLEDGE → GET THE DUTCH IN

• EDUCATE AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

“Knowledge creates power,

exchanging knowledge creates even more”

Questions?

You are welcome @

stand nr. D100