Russian engineers have created a compact urban farm where you can grow vegetables, fish and rabbits. All these components are combined in a single system, where animal products are converted into fertilizers for plants. The farm is fully automated and only needs to be visited once a week. In the future, the developers plan to add modules for growing mushrooms and snails. Restaurants and catering businesses are interested in using these urban farms to serve fresh produce to their guests.
Moscow engineers from Moscow Polytechnic University proposed a new approach to creating urban farms. They have developed a facility that combines modules for growing plants, fish and animals into one system. The farm prototype includes modules for growing greens, rabbits and carp. The farm minimizes waste and reuses resources through efficient recycling. Most of the time the system works automatically and requires only one visit per week.
The city farm has compact dimensions: 1.5 meters high, 1 meter wide and about 50 centimeters deep, but it can be adapted to any size. All modules are equipped with artificial lighting, electronic sensors for remote control and communication for data transmission.
Hydroponic technology is used for growing vegetables, in which plant roots are placed in pipes through which feed water flows. Nitrogen-rich fish waste is automatically processed and used as food for vegetables. Water and food are automatically provided for rabbits and fish, and dry animal waste is composted. The unit can be connected to a water source or manually filled with water and a closed resource utilization cycle can be created with the aid of a filtration system.
In the future, the farm can be used to raise other animals such as quail or snails, as well as to grow mushrooms. Scientists are also experimenting with the effects of different conditions on plant growth and system optimization. The developers collaborate with the EXOBIO Experimental Plant Breeding Research Center, which deals with effective methods of breeding rabbits.
Restaurants are ready to use city farms if the products are of good quality and have the necessary documents and certificates. Gastrobotanist Andrei Kolodyazhny emphasizes the interest of public catering enterprises in growing vegetables, mushrooms, rabbits and other products.
Source: Ferra
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