The world’s first floating farm — yes, floating — is in Rotterdam, Netherlands. This unique design not only contributes to sustainability and recycling in agriculture and livestock but also provides an alternative solution for the problem of declining arable land.
“That’s why we had to take a look at new opportunities,”Van Wingerden, cofounder of Floating Farm said. “That’s why we started farming on the water.”
“Another thing is that when you start (farming) near to the city, you have less more kilometers to drive with the food. So that is more sustainable. So, we produce locally and also consume locally.”
By shortening the distance between the producer and consumer, Minke Van Wingerden says it lowers expenses and saves money in many areas, especially transportation.
The floating farm of 1,200 square meters was constructed in 2018 and made operational in the following year. It is an important solution for those Dutch who lack land.
This high-tech farm has 40 cows. It produces dairy products such as yogurt, cheese, and fertilizer.
The farm is also big on recycling, and Van Wingerden says 60 percent of the cow’s feed consists of waste food collected from restaurants and bakeries in the area.