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https://theconversation.com/from-high-tech-greenhouses-to-fruit-netting-how-protected-cropping-can-shield-crops-from-climate-extremes-272162>
"For many of us, food is something we buy at a supermarket or order at a cafe.
We usually give little thought to the complex systems required to produce and
deliver it – until they stop working.
It’s not common to think of Australia as a place at risk of food insecurity. It
has vast tracts of fertile land and the capacity to feed its population many
times over. Around 70% is exported.
But the searing southeast heat and widespread northern flooding this summer
demonstrate the very real risks to food production. Temperature extremes,
heatwaves, droughts, floods and shifting seasonal patterns are worsening as the
climate changes.
People can seek refuge indoors. But the plants and animals we rely on for food
have no such protection. In response, some orchardists and farmers are taking
up an approach known as protected cropping, where crops are shielded from
threats. As South Australian persimmon and avocado grower Craig Burne told the
ABC:
without misting and netting in place, I don’t think we’d successfully grow
either of these crops in this climate any more
As climate change intensifies, protected cropping could better safeguard some
crops. Overseas, nations such as the Netherlands have taken up protected
cropping to drastically boost fruit and vegetable exports. But it’s early days
in Australia. To grow, the sector will have to overcome barriers to growth."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
