Dutch companies join South African project to reduce waterfootprint horticultural sector
The Dutch companies Aqua Terra Nova, Soil & More International and For Elements joined the Living Lands project in South Africa for the re use of waste water and solid organic waste.
The project is initiated to increase horticultural food production, making it less dependable on scarce fertile land, costly fertilizers and fresh water.
Land and river restoration project
Living Lands is a not-for-profit organization for conserving and restoring landscapes and rivers. The organisation was established in 2008 by members of the EarthCollective network.
Together with various South African authorities and private parties, Living Lands is now involved in a project to bring the horticulture in South Africa to a higer level. The project is co-financed by AgentschapNL of the Dutch ministry of economic affairs.
Blue drop, green crop
The Dutch companies operate jointly under the title 'Metropolitan Food Cluster, Blue Drop, Green Crop' to develop an integrated concept based on low cost water treatment and reuse of sewage sludge and organic waste.
Smaller waterfootprint for horticultural sector
The new concept is to reduce the waterfootprint of the horticultural sector in South Africa. The availability of fresh water is becoming more and more a limiting factor for the South African horticultural sector to grow.
Drought and changes in water distribution being two major reasons. At the same time urbanization increase leading to a greater demand for food, but also to more organic waste and waste water. The new concept will link these new developments.
Currently suitable project sites investigated.
The news release was originally published on the website of Aqua Terra Nova (in Dutch).
Photo: Certhon project Dube Tradport, Durban
More information
Living Lands/EarthCollective
Dieter Van den Broeck
Patensie, South Africa
+27 73 73 45 100
www.earthcollective.net/livinglands
Aqua Terra Nova
Aad Wubben
Naaldwijk, the Netherlands
+31 174 625 246
www.aquaterranova.nl
Soil & More International
Aart van den Bos
Naaldwijk, the Netherlands
+31 6 517 88 924
www.soilandmore.com
For Elements
Bart van Eck,
+31 6 245 29 457
www.facebook.com/for-elements