New Dutch Food: A green revolution - Oct. 16, 2024
In a world where the concept of agriculture is being reimagined, cultivation no longer takes place in wide open fields, but in vertical farms in city centres, in closed loops that require hardly any water and generate almost no waste. This vision is not a distant dream of the future, but already a reality. It is at the forefront of a revolution in food production and is radically changing the way food is grown and consumed: New Dutch Food.
The New Dutch Food movement focuses on new cultivation and production methods that are not only environmentally friendly, but also extremely efficient. One example is vertical farming, where plants grow on several levels in buildings. This method saves space, reduces the need for agricultural land and allows precise control of climatic conditions. This drastically reduces water consumption and makes year-round harvesting possible, significantly increasing the efficiency of cultivation processes.
Innovative climate management in greenhouses
PlantLab is demonstrating how this works in practice in Den Bosch. The company uses special LED light technology to provide the plants with exactly the light spectrum they need for optimal growth. In PlantLab's closed cultivation systems, plants can be grown regardless of external weather conditions, allowing for consistent, year-round production. The controlled conditions reduce water consumption by up to 90% and eliminate the need for pesticides.
Priva from De Lier offers solutions for the automated control of greenhouses and buildings worldwide. The company develops state-of-the-art systems for climate management, irrigation and energy optimization in greenhouses. Priva relies on precise control technologies that make the cultivation of plants as resource-efficient and efficient as possible. These systems are used by numerous greenhouse operators to maximize yield while minimizing energy and water consumption.
Aquaponics as a model for efficient circulatory systems. Another groundbreaking element is the integration of hydroponics and aquaponics systems. Hydroponics dispenses with traditional soil and instead uses mineral nutrient solutions to nourish plants. This significantly minimizes water consumption and eliminates the risk of soil erosion. Aquaponics combines plant cultivation with fish farming, where the waste from the fish serves as nutrients for the plants and filter the water for them.
The company UrbanFarmers operates one of the largest commercial aquaponics plants in Europe on the roof of a factory in The Hague. Here, fish such as tilapia are bred in tanks, whose waste serves as nutrients for plants such as tomatoes, lettuce and herbs. The plants, in turn, filter and purify the water, which is fed back to the fish tanks.
This innovative combination of fish farming and plant cultivation in a closed-loop system is extremely resource-efficient and sustainable. It saves water, reduces the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and enables the production of fresh food directly in the city, minimizing transport routes and associated CO₂ emissions. UrbanFarmers impressively demonstrates how aquaponics technologies can be applied in practice to promote sustainable urban agriculture.
Biological solutions: From natural enemies to pollination
The topic of biological pest control and natural pollination methods is also part of New Dutch Food and its mission to promote sustainable agriculture. New Dutch Food relies on innovative solutions that use natural enemies of pests and specialized pollinators such as bumblebees. These approaches not only contribute to the health of the plants, but also support an ecological balance and minimize the negative impact on the environment.
Koppert Biological Systems is a leading Dutch company in the field of biological pest control and pollination. Koppert, which is based near Rotterdam, develops and supplies natural enemies for agricultural pests as well as pollinators, such as bumblebees, which are used in controlled cultivation systems. These biological solutions make it possible to dispense with chemical pesticides and contribute to sustainable and environmentally friendly production.
New Dutch Food shows that sustainable and efficient food production is possible – and that it does not have to come at the expense of nature. By combining state-of-the-art technologies with a deep understanding of ecological relationships, the company is creating a new era of agriculture that both protects the environment and meets the growing global food demand. A vision that is already becoming reality today and could change the way food is thought about forever.