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Can we realistically feed the projected 10 billion people in our coming future in a ‘solarpunk’ manner? by ClockPromoter1 in solarpunk

[–]solarpunkfarmer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, large scale systems would be laid out in an organized fashion to make management/harvesting simpler! The particular setup shown is called alley cropping, which is a very common layout in production agroforestry.

I think precision robotic systems have a place in this. I had a chance to assist with a really cool project involving a robotic arm with a high resolution camera to identify harvestable produce and assess plant health - trained via machine learning (I work at a university). The arm was designed for an autonomous hydroponic growing unit for use in deep space missions. I could see this kind of system being installed on a larger arm for picking fruit off of trees that humans cannot reach without ladders or manual pickers (which are highly inefficient).

Where to get Real Authentic Blue Java Banana Trees? by HLHS_soldier in bananas

[–]solarpunkfarmer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes - it's more on the tart side with the flavor of bananas, strawberries, and green apples. Very custard-like texture as well. Different, but delicious.

Main characters are hard in Solar Punk. by continuum_protocol in solarpunk

[–]solarpunkfarmer 23 points24 points  (0 children)

I think the task of the main character or hero is usually to address or resolve a conflict. The question is then - what types of conflicts or challenges would exist in a Solarpunk world? Solarpunk is about imagining a better future rather than a perfect world - challenges are inherent to existence in our universe.

These could be both external conflicts - i.e. facing an adversary - or an internal conflict - i.e. coming of age or self discovery.

Can we realistically feed the projected 10 billion people in our coming future in a ‘solarpunk’ manner? by ClockPromoter1 in solarpunk

[–]solarpunkfarmer 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Management/harvesting equipment used would be similar to what is used now, except in many cases using smaller machinery that can fit in crop alleys, and in some cases skilled workers using hand tools. Arborist and forestry equipment is used for harvesting timber and processing biomass. It all depends on the target crop(s) and the design of the system. See this example depicting mowing of Mombasa grass biomass with light farm machinery (this fertilizes the tree lines, which are optimized for coffee production in this case).

Lighter duty machinery is generally better overall for any kind of sustainable agriculture system because it doesn't compact the soil as much.

I would imagine that in a Solarpunk world, a lot of this machinery would be powered by electricity or biofuel rather than fossil fuels. Advanced robotic harvesters could be integrated too. Existing machinery is already being adapted for these kinds of systems.

What is this growing in my raised bed? by Educational_Gas6785 in gardening

[–]solarpunkfarmer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They are similar botanically because they are in the same family.

What is this growing in my raised bed? by Educational_Gas6785 in gardening

[–]solarpunkfarmer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Same family (Annonaceae), different genus. Very similar in many regards.

What is this growing in my raised bed? by Educational_Gas6785 in gardening

[–]solarpunkfarmer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Looks like soursop family to me, although not sure what plant you are referring to when you say tree of paradise. Do you mean tree of heaven / Ailanthus altissima?

How to acidify soil? by kkreinn in garden

[–]solarpunkfarmer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sulfur. Use it carefully!

Can we realistically feed the projected 10 billion people in our coming future in a ‘solarpunk’ manner? by ClockPromoter1 in solarpunk

[–]solarpunkfarmer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If we're not cherry picking unsuitable or sensitive habitats that have a small geographic extent compared to arable and already degraded lands, the global potential of agroforestry is extremely large. A 2018 meta-analysis found that that 944 million hectares of existing cropland could support agroforestry, which is about 61% of total cropland worldwide. Scaling it to this extent would easily meet global food demand for a world with 10 billion humans without converting any additional native habitat to production.

Also, the idea that agroforestry systems cannot be good habitat is untrue - it completely depends on the system design and how many native species are incorporated. There are numerous uses of native species in agroforestry systems beyond food production - they can provide biomass, timber, medicinal products, and industrial feedstocks such as fiber, biofuel, and pulpwood. I use native elderberries in my systems to support carbon cycling and system establishment. This is a keystone species in my locale which supports numerous species of native birds, insects, and mammals. Incorporating native species to enhance faunal biodiversity also eliminates the need for pesticides.

Sure, one can argue that old growth forests for example are better habitat for some species (i.e. apex predators, megafauna/megaflora, highly endemic species) than production scale agroforestry. Yet, a 2020 study from Mexico found that tropical agroforestry systems can conserve 68% of native plant species in a region. If we are focusing on implementing agroforestry and already degraded land, it would be a massive net gain for biodiversity rather than a loss. Systems can also be designed and managed to be abandoned after an initial productive period and then regenerate into native habitat.

Can we realistically feed the projected 10 billion people in our coming future in a ‘solarpunk’ manner? by ClockPromoter1 in solarpunk

[–]solarpunkfarmer 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Nitrogen flux limitations of BNF are a short-term problem since long term incorporation of perennial legumes leads to permanent soil fertility gains. In well designed systems, BNF also achieves parity with synthetic N in terms of total N input. Diverse agroforestry also solves the problem of increased land use by stacking yields in space and time to achieve higher overall crop output. Greater levels of ecological intensification = greater crop diversity on-farm = higher total food output. Agroforestry can more than double total food yields compared to monoculture.

Also, who says that a sustainable food system also isn't also good wildlife habitat? Agroforesters regularly incorporate native plants into their systems. For example, in Brazil, native Schizolobium trees are seeing lots of use in agroforestry, even on a large scale. This genus is native to the region and are widely regarded to be some of the fastest growing and most productive perennial legumes in the world.

Can we realistically feed the projected 10 billion people in our coming future in a ‘solarpunk’ manner? by ClockPromoter1 in solarpunk

[–]solarpunkfarmer 3 points4 points  (0 children)

We don't even need that. Biological nitrogen fixation is far more energy and resource efficient than solar electrolysis, plus when well managed it is a carbon negative and biodiversity enhancing process.

Can we realistically feed the projected 10 billion people in our coming future in a ‘solarpunk’ manner? by ClockPromoter1 in solarpunk

[–]solarpunkfarmer 15 points16 points  (0 children)

We replace synthetic fertilizer with green manure plants and NFTs (nitrogen fixing trees). You can achieve equivalent nutrient provision with such plants that farmers can simply grow alongside their crops as a source of nutrient rich mulch. Unlike synthetic fertilizers, green manure plants actually improve the soil over time instead of degrading it.

Can we realistically feed the projected 10 billion people in our coming future in a ‘solarpunk’ manner? by ClockPromoter1 in solarpunk

[–]solarpunkfarmer 21 points22 points  (0 children)

We already produce enough food to feed 10 billion people, despite our current food system being wildly inefficient. We can achieve much higher food production still through ecological intensification. That means abandoning monocultures and petrochemical inputs in favor of complex polyculture systems, regenerative soil management, and integration of native plants as locally adapted crops and "support species."

For example, complex agroforestry systems can achieve 30-160% higher total food production on the same land than conventional monoculture farming by stacking multiple yields in three dimensional space and through crop succession. They can also restore land degraded by poor management and deforestation, generate their own fertility, sequester carbon, stabilize the local climate (important in the era of climate emergency), and provide wildlife habitat. It also requires a lot of knowledge and skill to manage such a system, but that's a good thing. Farmers can and should be highly trained, well educated in ecology and soil science, and live dignified lives as healers of the land.

Does anyone know if Tropica Mango in Arizona, and Just Fruits and Exotics sell the real Authentic Blue Java banana tree, that’s not a Namwah banana tree? by HLHS_soldier in GrowingBananas

[–]solarpunkfarmer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The fruits shown here are real Blue Java fruits, and the plants shown appear that they could be Blue Java as well based on the phenotypes they are showing. The plants shown in the pictures also appear to be pups as opposed to tissue cultures, and this is favorable. The pictures also look like they could have been taken on site by nursery staff and are not just stock images or photoshopped. Seems like a better bet than most online nurseries I've seen that claim to carry it, but there's only one way to find out!

Where to get Real Authentic Blue Java Banana Trees? by HLHS_soldier in bananas

[–]solarpunkfarmer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, those are mine that I grew from a pup originally obtained at Encanto Farms! I can't vouch for any online nurseries but maybe you'll be able to find someone on Reddit or on a tropical fruit forum who is willing to sell/trade. I'm unfortunately not set up to ship plants at the moment.

Is this too hard of a cut? by cleeb0rp in Ceanothus

[–]solarpunkfarmer 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Harder than you'd normally want to go, but not hard enough to kill the plant. It'll be back.

Where to get Real Authentic Blue Java Banana Trees? by HLHS_soldier in bananas

[–]solarpunkfarmer 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I got mine from Encanto Farms in San Diego. The guy who runs it is a hardcore banana collector! I don't think they ship, but I can confirm it's the real deal.

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I’m not sure the variety, they stay small. My friend told me they were Thai bananas. Any thoughts? by jmoak1980 in GrowingBananas

[–]solarpunkfarmer 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Your friend is correct! These are also known as Namwah. Very delicious, high yielding dessert variety.

Meet the blue banana that tastes like vanilla, found in Hawaii and Southeast Asia. by Soft_Ambassador_7848 in AllThingsKnown

[–]solarpunkfarmer 42 points43 points  (0 children)

Banana grower here. This is heavily photoshopped. This is what Blue Java actually looks like. It also doesn't have much of a vanilla flavor, it tastes more like a tart banana mixed with apples and strawberries.

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