The Norwegian entrepreneurs in the Soil Steam hope the invention will respond to the climate and miljøforskernes varsku about the climatic and ecological collapse, if not the agricultural sector is completely changed the next 30 years.
the earth’s resources, nature, water and soil are under increasing pressure, at the same time that population growth is explosive. It becomes increasingly evident that the world needs more efficient and sustainable systems, if all should get enough nutritious food.
It is this realization which is the basis for the report from the Food and Land Use Coalition (FOLU) launched during the Un climate summit immediately.
the Report states that food production must play more in tune with nature.
Norwegian scientists and technologists is on the ball.
also Read: Report: Need 37 times Norway’s land area in order to avoid sultkatastrofe Sustainable carrot
Hans Kristian Westrum and his colleagues in the Soil Steam has developed a machine that sprays water vapor in the air down in the earth. The steam will kill weeds, weed seeds, rundormer and fungus, before it be sown.
– When we use steam, most of the pesticides excess. In addition, you will reduce the need for chemical fertilizers, because the vegetables do not need to fight against the weeds about the industry, ” explains Westrum.
Hans Kristian Westrum is the chief executive in the Soil Steam.
Photo: Soil Steam
– But is not the earth depleted and nutrient-poor when one kills everything that lives in it?
– We do not remove nutrients. When it comes to the benign rundormene and other mikroliv, so we should wish that they survived.
But also does not plantevernmidlene discriminate between good and malignant mikrolivet in the soil.
– Meitemarken survives, it is verified by the Norwegian institute of bioeconomy. They go down in the depths when they notice dampemaskinen shakes, bedyrer Westrum.
Farmers who have tested the dampemaskinen to the Soil Steam tells about the good results.
Manufacturer of Knaskerøtter, Tor Fuglestein, says to NRK that the fields that have been steamed with him has given 41 per cent larger crops.
KNASKERØTTER: the Carrots to the right was the animal in the field that was steamed in the year, the carrots in the middle from the field that was steamed in the last year, while the carrots to the left comes from a field that is not steamed.
Photo: Soil Steam Think Norway can become self-sufficient
Katrine Røed Meberg in Gartnerforbundet also believes that the new machine provides great results.
– the Method makes that carrots grow better. They are smoother, earlier høsteklare and salgsklare. Also, they hold up longer because it didn’t come with harmful mushrooms into the warehouse. It means that we can experience the joy of Norwegian carrots until the next season.
the Picture shows the distinction between the steamed and udampet kålåker. The weeds to the right, cabbage left.
Photo: Soil Steam
Almost 30 per cent of all Norwegian carrots are thrown annually, because they start to rot after about three months. In December begins the stores to import carrots from countries such as Israel, up to the Norwegian carrots can be harvested again in June.
Interested jordbærbønder in California
the World’s second largest bærprodusent Driscoll’s has indicated that they would like to test the Norwegian dampemaskinen with their manufacturers in California.
Professor at the Department of plantevitenskap at the University of California, Steven Fennimore, is immediately on the way to Norway to look at the machine and the possibility to test it in the us state.
– Organic berries and blomsterprodusenter look at steam as a good solution and will therefore test the Soil in the Steam. In California, there are many who still disinfects the soil with hazardous gasses, but lovreguleringer make these increasingly more inaccessible. Therefore, steam is a good option here, ” says Fennimore to NRK.
invents the future of agriculture
Today’s food production accounts for a quarter of the world’s total emissions, and is the main reason for the loss of nature. Therefore, it is crucial that the future of agriculture more efficient and sustainable.
– In Norway we have a significant focus on landbruksteknologi just with this purpose, ” says Marit Valseth, senior advisor for biobaserte industries in Innovation Norway.
The overflowing of examples when Valseth trying to give a picture of how many Norwegian inventions that are afoot, and what potential they have to make international success.
She tells you about:
Drones, robots, irrigation systems and information technologies that make the agricultural sector more precisely and effectively, and captive breeding programmes which receive international attention. And Desert Control, a Norwegian company that has patented a mixture of clay and water that is sprayed onto the sand in the desert, which makes that the reason keeps better on the water and that it thus can serve food there. And the self-propelled robot, Thorvald, who can plough, so, fertilize, turn, harvest, collect data about when, where and how it is best to sow, irrigate and fertilize, and UV-treat fruit and berries against mold or spraying pesticides with such great precision that only the weeds were affected.
the Robot Thorvald shall, if a few years could take over for the tractor.
Photo: Benjamin Ward
Goldman Sachs, one of the world’s largest investment banks, has calculated that the so-called presisjonslandbruket has the potential to increase yields by 70 per cent by 2050.
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