OrganiTech: Hydroponics Solutions For Spaniards
by Karin Kloosterman, Jerusalem, Israel on 10.20.06
Israelis seem to be saying ole a lot more than usual these days and it’s not because of the nation’s fascination with Almodovar films. Earlier this summer a factory of Israeli passive solar energy collectors was slated to be built in Spain. Most recently, we just learned, the Israeli company OrganiTech (and featured by TreeHugger's Lloyd here) is selling its advanced hydroponics greenhouses to an undisclosed Spanish customer for up to 60 million Euros, over the next 5 years. ::OrganiTech
OrganiTech’s new customer, they say, is one of the largest European growers and exporters of agricultural produce in general and leafy vegetables in particular.
The imminent sale is proof for the growing global recognition of the advantages of hydroponics technologies in agriculture production.
OrganiTech is a publicly traded company in the US and considers itself to be a pioneer and world leader in providing hydroponics growing factories and hydroponics greenhouses. The company designs, develops, manufactures, markets and supports hydroponics solutions and platforms for the agriculture and life-science industries, enabling the growth of leafy vegetables in a highly economic, clean and automated environment.
Moreover, the company’s system, they say, significantly reduces heating and labor costs per plant (the most serious cost-drivers in the greenhouse industry) while making optimal use of other resources such as water and land. ::OrganiTech
Fantastic news and a great opportunity. Much of Spain is arid, and has become increasingly arid through the centuries because of overgrazing, deforestation, ineffective water management and the resulting soil loss.
As a result Spain must now import produce to meet the needs of their exploding urban populations. They could greatly benefit forma a relationship with Isreal who has pioneered revolutionary techniques for water efficient agriculture.
Hopefully they will also use Isreali environmental techniques to restore the ravaged landscape before desertification claims more of Spain's heartland. This area has been ignored because it is empty and backward, and overshadowed by the more exciting coast areas. However more and more of this arid land is abandoned and traditional sheep herders are increasingly unable to maintain herds. Let's hope they address these issues before it is too late.
I was an exchange student in Spain and many Spanish aren't aware of rampant desertification reduce vast areas into dust bowls. These are in the poorest regions of Spain who don't have the resourses or politcal will to do anything, especially since they would have to end grazing in areas in an area where that's the only thing sustaining families. There are techniques that could reduce or stop this but it needs to be the government, and frankly it's a low priority there for a number of reasons.
The more I read about hydroponic greenhouses, the more positive I get toward this method of vegetable production. I am especially interested in the ability to maximize efficiency of resources, like nutrients, land, water, etc. I am currently designing a greenhouse for my own land and have been intrigued by hydroponics for the reasons mentioned in the article and others. However, one nagging question in my mind regards the special liquid fertilizers or mineral tablets that must be added to the water (in industrial production - I could make my own 'compost or manure tea' for my particular case) to supply the needed nutrients. What kind of environmental impact are we talking about - how much energy is needed to make these nutrient 'salts', what kind of transportation would be required, where would the nutrients be derived, etc. The resource intensity required to produce the nutrient 'salts' is what still leaves me with an unresolved worry. Other than this I am fairly positive about this technology in my home country of Spain.
Why is This Site Just For Spaniards