Growing techniques being developed in Kiribati
Some months ago I wrote suggesting people living on the remote outer islands in the Solomon Islands subject to rising sea levels affecting their food gardens could benefit from growing essential food needs in movable containers such as hessian bags, plastic bags, old oil drums or suitable containers made from coconut fibres woven into strong baskets.
I see today that the ideas I first put forward as been adopted by Australia in helping Kiribati farmers improve their growing techniques and avoid some of the problems resulting from sea level rise.
It has It has brought in a system of growing fruit and vegetables called "Food Cubes" through the Live and Learn Project.
The cubes allow plants to be in moveable containers rather than directly in the ground.
These waist high containers are filled with nutrient-rich compost.
The system has been devised so the growing of the plants and vegetables is affected by saltwater, that they have sufficient water and can be easily relocated.
For people living in urban areas without available land to grow food crops I have several time told how discarded plastic bottles can be used to grow such things as leafy vegetables, tomatoes and strawberries.
In Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya, I have seen how women grow and sell vegetables by using old sacks filled with a good soil mix.
In Singapore where most food is imported the country is adopting to grow most of its food needs with urban farms utilizing hydroponic methods of farming.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
