Circlefarming: Dutch design for renewal
René Braakman • 14 November 2024
Circlefarming is an innovative agricultural technique presented during Dutch Design Week as a solution for sustainable and local food production.
A new solution for old problems!
Circlefarming, designed by Floris Schoonderbeek and Rosalie Apituley in cooperation with scientists from Wageningen University, uses a rotating arm called the Compass that serves as a platform for people, tools, and new technologies.
Why is Circlefarming an inspiring innovation in the context of regenerative agriculture?
- Local production: Enables a wide variety of food to be grown locally on relatively small plots.
- Community involvement: Encourages local communities to engage in the farming process, fostering a closer connection with food production.
- Regenerative focus: Facilitates the shift toward regenerative agriculture, which restores rather than exhausts the soil.
- Biodiversity: Creates space for animals, plants, and people between circular crop areas, enhancing biodiversity.
Circlefarming is also seen as a smart tool for bringing people together and producing food in urban environments. It represents a fusion of design, technology, and agriculture aimed at building a more sustainable and local food system—a beautiful new solution for old challenges!
René Braakman has launched the independent consultancy Circles of Abundance. Drawing from his many years of experience in the Agro and Food sector, he observes that the challenges in today’s Agro and Food chains call for a new approach.
Farmers of the future will increasingly collaborate with fungi and other microorganisms in the soil. These interactions offer many benefits for both crop yields and soil health.