StartupRealities

StartupRealities No 23 The Land Stewardship and Sustainability Council (LSSC) is an international organisation that certifies sustainable farms and farming practices. Farms can apply for LSSC certification if they meet certain thresholds and ratios: 1) Permaculture  is used on the majority of the land (trees, shrubs and perennial herbs); 2) Polyculture and crop rotation is practiced on tilled land; 3) Old trees and hedges provide ample habitat for wild birds and animals; 4) Rainwater from roofs and paved surfaces is harvested; 5) Farming practices are organic or close to organic (e.g. no use of pesticide or synthetic fertiliser); 6) Animal farming is free-range and all farmed animals are guaranteed animal rights . The LSSC seal of approval gives the produce of certified farms a marketing advantage in front of sustainability-conscious customers. The LSSC certification process is also a valuable consultancy service for farms of all sizes. Sustainable farming (Sourc...

StartupRealities No 6 DesertPlantations Limited is an international startup investing in desert land in coastal areas in northern Chile, Namibia and Western Australia and converting the acquired coastal land into fruit and nut plantations and vineyards. The coastal farms are irrigated with desalinated ocean water using inexpensive technology developed by MIT, which does not require any additional energy input for desalination. Rafts of these passive solar-powered desalination systems are floated on the surface of the sea near the shore. The solar rafts produce 6 litres of freshwater per square metre per day. Underwater pipes installed on the seabed connect the rafts and drain the distilled freshwater into storage tanks on land. Drip irrigation systems on the farms are turned on only during the night to minimise water loss. --- AGRICULTURE The output of the desert farms peaks in December-March during the southern hemisphere summer (northern hemisphere winter). The farms supply or...