- Currently, general farming practices are not sustainable or efficient and tend to use large amounts of land and water.
- Smaller countries, like Qatar, are dependent on importing food and therefore are not food secure.
- Food imports have recently been reduced in countries like Qatar.
- The extreme temperature and light source in Qatar highly limit the type of plants that are able to grow comfortably.
AVRIA’s Solution
The goal of implementing Desert Rose technology into farming is to enhance the work of the farmer and to generate efficiency – not replace the farmer. All decisions are based on the idea that Desert Rose can be a tool for all farmers to use and customize based on their crops and expertise.
All design decisions are made with a sustainable mindset – using solar panels to generate power for Desert Rose, only turning on and using electrical components when needed in order to limit energy wastes, conserve water consumptionthrough aeroponics, and building a rotational plant structure to conserve land use.
Key Features of The Desert Rose
- Vertically rotating conveyor for plants to rotate.
- Use of Eco Cooler, a cooling system requiring no electricity.
- Using Aeroponics for irrigation.
- Use materials to maintain humidity.
- Motor-controlled plant housing structure.
- Using a solar panel to provide power to certain electrical equipment.
- Fresnel lens technology for sunlight exposure into the structure.
3 out of 6 Components That Make up The Desert Rose
Environmental Impact
The environmental impact is an important attribute and goal of the product and that is why it is rated as high as it is. We aim to have a small ecological footprint by using products with the least environmental impact on earth. This is in alignment with our sustainability priority and the focus on reducing environmental harm. The increase in agriculture in one area could have long term effects on the environment and we plan to be a highly efficient option for the agricultural industry. Though the environmental impact is important, it was not rated as highly compared to other priorities on the list.
Sustainability
It is part of our mission and vision for the product to be not only efficient but also a sustainable solution to farming. Without the project having a sustainable approach to farming, the product will be no improvement to alternative options that are already on the market.
User Friendliness
User friendliness is important because we don’t want our customers to shy away from using all the functions we have provided, but we are not focusing entirely on it because the product will be used for commercial purposes. This means our customer base will typically have a knowledge of greenhouse functions and initial training on the product since it will not be used as a common household item.