Revolution in lettuce cultivation: Sina Severloh saves 90% water when harvesting!

Revolution in lettuce cultivation: Sina Severloh saves 90% water when harvesting!

In the picturesque region around Oppershausen, a young farmer shows how innovative cultivation techniques can revolutionize agriculture. Sina Severloh is committed to hydroponic cultivation and is excited about the possibilities this water-based system offers her. The absence of soil and the efficient use of water are just some of the advantages that this system brings. In fact, hydroponic farming uses around 90 percent less water than traditional methods, which is a real bright spot given the growing challenges of climate change and water scarcity. CZ.de reports that Sina became aware of the innovative cultivation method from agricultural trade fairs and trade magazines.

How does it all work? In the greenhouse, propagation cubes with seeds are placed on a flood table, which is automatically filled with a nutrient-rich solution every eight hours. The first germs are visible after just three days. After six weeks at the latest, which the growth process takes until harvest, the lettuces are ready for sale in the farm shop. Starting this week, Sina is selling an impressive 1,400 heads of lettuce, which she can harvest in seven weeks. She currently grows several varieties: romaine, oakleaf and salanova lettuce, with plans for arugula and lettuce in the future.

A pioneer in sustainability

Celle district farmer Carsten-Wilhelm Drewes has already shown interest in Severloh's hydroponic cultivation system and plans to visit the greenhouse. This type of cultivation is not only ecologically sustainable, but also a prime example of how modern technologies can increase agricultural yields. Bij Fraunhofer is researching how the recycling of water and nutrients can contribute to food security and efficient use of resources.

These research approaches aim to maximize agricultural yield while minimizing water consumption, a topic that is becoming increasingly relevant as global water challenges grow. The potential of treated municipal wastewater that can be used in hydroponics is also being investigated. In this way, an environmental problem becomes a valuable resource and the ecological footprint of agriculture can be sustainably reduced.

Innovations for the future

Technologies that provide region-specific solutions are particularly important for water-scarce regions. By using water and nutrients efficiently, these methods could also be used in drier areas of the world, such as East Africa or the Middle East. There are also already collaborations with international organizations that deal with these future technologies. In Germany, this is being pursued intensively within the framework of projects such as HypoWave and NexusHub. Port International shows that water management in sustainable agriculture not only affects local events in Oppershausen, but also provides an important global context.

With pioneers like Sina Severloh, it becomes clear that innovative agricultural technologies not only support today's farmers, but also represent a significant step towards a sustainable future. So it remains to be seen what further progress awaits us in sustainable agriculture.