The U.K.’s Paignton Zoo has made high-tech horticultural history with the installation of the first of a new generation of vertical farming systems, which were set to be unveiled to the public at the close of September. Valcent Products’ VertiCrop sustainable hydroponics installation is the first of its kind in Europe and the first in a zoo or botanic garden anywhere in the world.
“The world population is growing, food supply is shrinking, water supplies are becoming more limited, food production is competing for land with housing and the production of fuel crops," said Chris Bradford, Managing Director of Valcent. "We have to make better use of available land.
“VertiCrop is the latest in plant growing technology, meeting the needs of the human population while reducing the pressure to clear precious habitat to grow crops. This technology could usher in a new era of urban horticulture,” Bradford said.
Paignton Zoo Curator of Plants and Gardens Kevin Frediani (pictured above) added: “We are making history here. Installing VertiCrop at Paignton Zoo means we are growing more plants in less room using less water and less energy. It is helping us reduce food miles and bring down our annual bill for animal feed, which is currently in excess of £200,000 a year.”
The Zoo is growing a whole range of herbs such as parsley and oregano, as well as leaf vegetables like lettuce and spinach, plus a range of fruits such as cherry tomato and strawberry. Reptiles, birds and most of the mammal collection – including primates and big cats – are benefiting from the production of year round fresh food. Paignton Zoo animals crunch their way through about 800 carrots a day and approximately £8,000-worth of fruit per month. Herbs are used as enrichment for many species.
VertiCrop is a commercial high-density vertical growing system which increases production volume for field crops up to 20 times over, but which requires as little as 5 percent of the normal water supply. It is a non-GM solution to food problems, using trays on a looped dynamic conveyor belt and automatic feeding stations to grow plants efficiently.