4 ms·

> In all other aspects i see this limited to orchards. This study is for a very specific region: East Africa (Kenia and Tanzania). Their main problems are too

> In all other aspects i see this limited to orchards. This study is for a very specific region: East Africa (Kenia and Tanzania). Their main problems are too much evaporation, no energy sources, no other sources of food. I don't see how a solution that might work for a good share of humanity (Africa is huge: Kenya and Tanzania alone have 150 million people) gets dismissed as "limited to orchards" because it can't be used for industrial scale corn crops in my country.

rob74 2y ago
Well, unfortunately "Africa" is only mentioned in the article's title (which got cut to fit into HN's character limit) and not repeated in the article itself. But I can understand the concern: most agriculture (not only corn) is highly mechanized pretty much everywhere in the world except the poorest countries, so this would be limited to the crops that can't be mechanized.
- otherme123 2y ago
  Or this can be adapted to mechanized crops where it makes sense. Greenhouses where small fragile minihouses of 4x3 meters, made of wood and glass 100 years ago, used only in countries with harsh winters. Nobody in their right mind would use a tractor to work on them. Today they can be seen from the space and are mechanized... where it makes sense to do it. They turned a desert into a huge production of fresh vegetables: https://www.amusingplanet.com/2013/08/the-greenhouses-of-almeria.html https://www.amusingplanet.com/2013/08/the-greenhouses-of-alm... . Agrivoltaics could be something or nothing. But don't dismiss it because it today isn't already perfect for everything. Ten years ago the cost of the panels alone would make this projects 100% infeasible.
  - rob74 2y ago
    Those plastic-foil greenhouses spreading like cancer across the landscape in Spain should be shown (especially up close, where you can better see the dirty tattered foil and the waste they produce) to people who think solar panels or wind turbines are eyesores. I would definitely support replacing those cheapo greenhouses with something more permanent involving solar panels!
  - ashoeafoot 2y ago
    I wouldn't sum up the challenges if i would be completely dismissive , i think the potential is there, especially when it comes to in situ fertilizer nitrogenfixing and electro moisture harvesting (the breakthroughs there are insane, from peltier 50ml to condensator 500 ml recently). This is not a attack on the idea, just a lets strengthen this to solve alot of problems .

rob74 2y ago

Well, unfortunately "Africa" is only mentioned in the article's title (which got cut to fit into HN's character limit) and not repeated in the article itself. But I can understand the concern: most agriculture (not only corn) is highly mechanized pretty much everywhere in the world except the poorest countries, so this would be limited to the crops that can't be mechanized.

otherme123 2y ago
Or this can be adapted to mechanized crops where it makes sense. Greenhouses where small fragile minihouses of 4x3 meters, made of wood and glass 100 years ago, used only in countries with harsh winters. Nobody in their right mind would use a tractor to work on them. Today they can be seen from the space and are mechanized... where it makes sense to do it. They turned a desert into a huge production of fresh vegetables: https://www.amusingplanet.com/2013/08/the-greenhouses-of-almeria.html https://www.amusingplanet.com/2013/08/the-greenhouses-of-alm... . Agrivoltaics could be something or nothing. But don't dismiss it because it today isn't already perfect for everything. Ten years ago the cost of the panels alone would make this projects 100% infeasible.
- rob74 2y ago
  Those plastic-foil greenhouses spreading like cancer across the landscape in Spain should be shown (especially up close, where you can better see the dirty tattered foil and the waste they produce) to people who think solar panels or wind turbines are eyesores. I would definitely support replacing those cheapo greenhouses with something more permanent involving solar panels!
- ashoeafoot 2y ago
  I wouldn't sum up the challenges if i would be completely dismissive , i think the potential is there, especially when it comes to in situ fertilizer nitrogenfixing and electro moisture harvesting (the breakthroughs there are insane, from peltier 50ml to condensator 500 ml recently). This is not a attack on the idea, just a lets strengthen this to solve alot of problems .