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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ibnanv" data-source="post: 18810139" data-attributes="member: 218596">Beneath the blue waters 100m off the coast of Noli in northwest Italy  lies a cluster of balloon-like pods pegged to the seabed by ropes half a  dozen or so metres long. Inside a range of produce is being grown,  including red cabbage, lettuce, beans basil and strawberries. It may sound like something you’d find in a science fiction novel, but this is the work of Ocean Reef Group.  With the help of agricultural experts, the Genova-based scuba diving  company is applying its knowledge and technology to finding new ways to  produce food.   The buzz around indoor farms and artificial lighting makes no sense   The research project, known as Nemo’s Garden,  began in 2012 and currently consists of seven pods – biospheres – each  of which can hold around 8-10 trays or 22 plant pots. Having improved  the design of the pods over time following episodes of rot and flooding,  the company is ready to scale up its testing with the ultimate aim of  commercialising its operations. The company has a local government  permit to operate for five months of the year (May to September) and the  pod structure has been patented. The project is currently seeking  financial assistance through a crowdfunding campaign which ends this week.   Inside the pods The company uses a version of hydroponics, creating fresh water through desalination.  Seawater within the structures evaporates, drops condense on the roof  and then drip back down as fresh water to feed the herbs and vegetables.     Orto Di Nemo - Nemo’s Garden Project   Unlike underground hydroponic systems  and greenhouses, which rely on various heating and cooling systems and  LED lights to regulate the temperature, submersion in seawater offers a  stable temperature while avoiding exposure to extreme weather conditions  on land. When it comes to sunlight, studies  have shown that a majority of plants – although not seaweed – are  dependent on the red spectrum in light for physiological development;  the red can filter out at depths of around five to 15m. To address this,  the pods are submerged five to eight metres below the surface; they  could potentially go deeper but more data is needed to work out the  viability of this. Jon Old is co-founder of The Wasabi Company. The horseradish-like vegetable is regarded as one of the most intensive crops to grow.  It involves a lot of watering and is vulnerable to high temperatures  and direct sunlight, so could potentially be ideal for underwater  farming. Old is excited by the potential of the Nemo Project model:  “certain aspects are very appealing, like the sealed environment, no  pests to wander in, no disease spores to blow in on the wind, and no  slugs. If we assume the underwater [farm] is structurally sound, I think  it would be fantastic. It’d be like working in a huge, dry aquarium all  day.” Meeting future food demands  Qualified divers are required to maintain and operate the pods. Luca  Gamberini, whose family has been running the Ocean Reef Group for six  decades, acknowledges this is a sticking point, but firmly believes  underwater farming can be more than just a plaything for growing  high-value, niche crops.  <img src="http://i.guim.co.uk/img/static/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2015/8/13/1439456494328/41946a6a-2024-4583-b322-fb1b372337a2-620x372.png?w=300&q=85&auto=format&sharp=10&" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /> The Nemo’s Garden team is keen to develop food growing opportunities for  regions lacking much suitable soil or water, although others have  expressed concern that projects such as this could disrupt the local  food infrastructure. Photograph: Nemo's Garden   Although the cultivation of Nemo’s Garden is yet to reach commercial  scale, the aim of the project is to see whether that is a viable  prospect and to plant more varieties of crops in the process, something  that Gamberini believes is technically possible. Tests carried out by  Ocean Reef Group suggest that crops underwater grow faster than their  counterparts, according to the company. Ocean Reef Group has received interest from businesses and  organisations, but has so far decided against selling the concept.  Gamberini believes its place in the food system could be dynamic, from  small producers to NGOs working on nutrition projects in developing  countries.   Monsanto's new $1bn herbicide shows our bias towards hi-tech solutions   “That [meeting future food demands] is the aim, and it could be a  sustainable way of agriculture,” he says. “Not just local businesses,  but for large parts of the world. Starting from Middle Eastern and  tropical countries such as the Maldives, where there is not much  [suitable] soil or fresh water ... [to] southern California, which is experiencing droughts.” Not everyone is convinced. Rachel Kerr is a relief worker who has  worked on nutrition projects in sub-Saharan Africa. “My concern would be  whether a set-up like this would disrupt the local food infrastructure.  Coastal communities often rely on fish not just as food but as a source  of income,” she says. “It would need to respect local customs and be  mindful of the environment [the ocean].” Gamberini acknowledges that some people may not buy into the idea of  underwater farming, but believes it has the potential to work  harmoniously with other food production methods. Despite his optimism,  however, he remains cautious about its long-term potential.  “We know that we can grow plants underwater, we know they grow  faster. We now need to finalise our research ... hopefully by the end of  the year, or next,” he says. “Worst case scenario, if we discover  Nemo’s Garden isn’t feasible in terms of size, logistics and economics,  is that it’ll be a credible eco-tourism resource, as scuba diving sites  for islands and places with warm waters.”http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/aug/13/food-growing-underwater-sea-pods-nemos-garden-italy</blockquote>

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