Germinate directly in the ground
As in all sectors, useful industrial design and technology is also entering the field of farming, more slowly, but with important advances that can improve the daily work of the farmer.
We are no longer just talking about the large agricultural industry, with drones that control every last detail of plantations or irrigation systems powered by artificial intelligence (AI), to give examples of innovations in agriculture. We refer to simple designs that bring great benefits to the farmer.
This is where the project comes in AGRODOME of industrial design studio NOS settled in Mexico. You have created a new way to germinate and cultivate directly in the field.
One of the The most typical problems of farmers is working with the farms, which are the first stages of plant growth, in its initial development, from when the seed germinates until it acquires its first leaves. Here the plants are more vulnerable, and, therefore, they are mainly grown in greenhouses (See article on crops in urban gardens).
Traditionally, the farmers acquire the seedlings in large specialized greenhouses to later move them and plant them in the field, but… What if we break that chain! And if all the growth of the plant were directly in the field …
The NOS team has created some small micro-environments that allow farmers to plant and germinate directly in the soil without the need to transplant the shoots from a greenhouse to the final destination. The economic savings of practicing this type of agriculture can be important depending on the crop.
AGRODOME is a small shell that forms a transparent dome made of recycled PET (recyclable product), which is stuck in the ground forming a kind of umbrella over the germinating, growing plants.
Although it may seem like a simple housing, at first glance, it actually hides a truly thoughtful and useful design for the farmer's work.
The height of the dome can be adjusted according to the stages of the plant inserting it with more or less depth in the ground. Due to its shape, the central part, also works as a funnel to let the water flow directly from the dome to the subsoil so that the earth has a better absorption and distribution of water.
In the upper part of the dome there are a series of holes that allow the exchange of oxygen to control humidity and temperature.
The modularity of the domes it is perfectly designed so that it can be mass produced at a really affordable price. Prefabrication allows great benefits, not only economic, but also in speed and quality of the product and materials used.
AGRODOME is a transparent, breathable, stackable and portable system for farmers
Another great benefit of practicing a modular design is that the domes can be easily changed and transported around the field, depending on the growing and harvesting cycles. Obviously important when we are talking about large amounts of modules.
Sometimes the simplest industrial design is the one that brings great benefits and creates a significant social impact… there are hundreds of examples throughout history!
We remind you that we have an interesting article on why solar farms combine surprisingly well with agricultural crops; tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, etc. What advantages and benefits does Agrophotovoltaics (agriculture + photovoltaics) provide.
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