A new company, Agricel, has developed a new way to farm that requires 90% less water than traditional agricultural methods demand and uses 80% less chemicals yet produces 50% higher yields. Quite an improvement, no?
The secret is Skygel, a unique thin polymer film that acts as a sponge and can hold 1,000 times its weight in water. Each internal cell with in the film absorbs and holds water and plant nutrients, safe from evaporation and surface loss.
As a plant’s root system tap into the millions of waiting water cells, it is essentially guaranteed its own growth reservoir no matter its location as long as there is sunshine, real or artificial.
With the world’s population ever increasing, both aerial land and free flowing clean water will become rarer and rarer raw resources. As a result, chefs around the world are growing concerned about the availability of future ingredients.
Now, thanks to Yalman A. Khan and Kunal G. Wadhwani, founders of Agricel, the film farming process is now available after extensive testing in Japan, China, Pakistan, Nigeria, the U.A.E. and the U.K.
So take heart if a rare fruit or vegetable is required by your favorite dish – soon it might be growing in your own backyard from Dubai to Las Vegas, all thanks to Agricel!
Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2012
