Agri Zero

The Agri Zero seminar exposed us to diverse agricultural practices, plant and soil ecoystems as well as how technology integration can enhance the sustainability, simplicity, and regenerative aspects of modern farming.

Jonathan Minchin, an architect turned agricultural expert, guided us through various agricultural methods, such as permaculture, or permanent culture, where natural ecoystems are mimicked to include a varity of plant species co-existing in a self-sufficient manner, or regenerative agriculture, where soil health is restored and enhanced to improve the overall ecoystem.

He also highlighted the ways technology and computational agriculture can optimize efficiency and ecological renewal and how digital agriculture needs to be reinvented to support more conventional ways of farming, instead of industrial agriculture.

In his views, what the soil needs and wants should be the basis for new types of agriculture. Our economy should be capped with the rate of the growth of plants, so that we don't over-produce and over-consume.

Visiting the Valldaura Campus

Our experience extended to a visit to the Valldaura campus nestled in the Collserolla forest near Barcelona, where we utilized the iNaturalist App to comprehend the forest's diverse ecosystems and where we spotted ecotones, which are areas of transition between two biological communities. The Valldaura campus was fascinating to discover, as it is a place where other IAAC students are using resources provided by the domain to explore self-sufficient modes of living.

Making laurel essential oil

We also harvested laurel leafs from the Valldaura campus to create essential oil with a distiller. I was really surprised by the amount leaves needed to create just a few drops of essential oils, which explains why essential oils are so expensive!

Soil typology

Finally, we gained insights into soil health and different soil types as well as the crucial role of soil to monitor food production. Our initial task involved examining various soil types based on a classification system that considers factors such as consistency, granularity, the ability to form solid drips, and colour. Utilising an application called Sqapp, we distinguished soil based on its shade and origin. Additionally, we assessed the nitrite and nitrate levels, along with the pH, of the soils'.