Spanish design company Forward Thinking Architecture has developed an automated offshore floating farming alternative to increase food production.
The multi-layered Smart Floating Farms (SFF) project combines solar energy, hydroponics-green growing and aquaculture.
The SFF is said to require less land and minimal agricultural imports as it will be located off the coast on an open sea.
The facility uses less water compared to traditional farming, and dispose organic wastes using a bio-digester at the farm, the company said on its website.
Forward Thinking Architecture principal Javier Ponce said: "Facing the current challenges of cities growing, land consumption and climate change, I believe projects like the Smart Floating Farms can help change some of the existing paradigms which have led us to our present situation, and open new possibilities which can improve the quality of human life and the environment."
The SFF features vertically stacked hydroponic systems and aeroponic walls, which hold vegetables at different levels.
The hydroponic system produces vegetables in a soilless medium such as rock wool, coconut wool, or clay tablets.
A 200m by 350m module is expected to produce 8,152 tons of vegetables and 1,703 tons of fish annually.
The company said that the facility can be located in proximity to areas with water access, and can adapt its dimensions to the local food production requirements.
