Alternative agriculture and sustainable food

Why do we actually go camping? To have new experiences, of course! Whether picturesque landscapes, spectacular cities or other spots that one encounters on a camping trip. Of course, this also includes discovering new, delicious food. Trying out the local cuisine on site or visiting markets in the region. The environmental situation of our time makes many people rethink and look for alternatives to traditional agriculture, which is associated with an intensive use of resources. This is the perfect time to learn about alternative farming methods and sustainable food. We have taken a closer look at a few of these ideas and summarized for you what they are all about.

First and foremost, alternative agriculture aims to find more sustainable and environmentally friendly ways of producing food by taking into account ecological, social and economic aspects. The main aim is to avoid the use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, thus ensuring soil fertility for a longer period of time and promoting biodiversity. It is also based on the efficient use of resources such as water to protect the environment.

There are many approaches to alternative agriculture and farming, we would like to introduce you to some interesting ideas in our blog article:

The core idea of permaculture is to create ecosystems that function according to nature's model. By combining different plant species grown in mixed cultures or at different levels, a natural balance is created and the nutrient supply of the soil is optimized. This creates synergies, whereby plants as well as animals mutually benefit from each other. As a result, pests are better kept out and nutrients are better preserved. The waste product of one element in the permaculture system can thus serve as a resource for another element. Such a self-regulating ecosystem uses natural resources more efficiently, making it more sustainable than conventional monocultures. If you would like to try permaculture in your own garden, whether you grow strawberries, lettuce or other fruits and vegetables, you are welcome to read up on everything important in this article from

meine-ernte.de. Are you currently travelling in Spain? Then take a look at the permaculture project of Danyadara!

Aquaponics is an innovative agricultural approach that, by definition, uses a combination of aquaculture (fish farming) and hydroponics (growing plants without soil) in a symbiotic recirculating system. The core principle of aquaponics is that fish waste serves as nutrients for plants. In a closed-loop system, water from the fish tanks is directed to the plant beds, where the plants absorb the nutrients and filter the water. The purified water then flows back to the fish, creating a continuous nutrient cycle. Aquaponics can reduce water consumption by up to 90%. The cool thing is: organic food is also available in the middle of the city, just like here in Berlin at the ECF Farm! There you can pick up your fresh perch or basil yourself. However, it is also important to mention that it is very complex to set up such a system and not all fish and vegetable species are suitable for aquaponics.

Vertical farming is a crop production method in which production takes place in several layers or levels on top of each other. The core idea is to make the best use of the limited space available and to enable agricultural production in urban or densely populated areas. The use of vertical farming offers a number of advantages. For example, the vertical arrangement allows a higher amount of crops per square metre compared to traditional horizontal cultivation and is independent of the season. If you would like to see this live you can visit Profarms in South Tyrol, there are even guided tours! The use of water and fertilizers is also reduced by the closed circuit of the different levels. Protection against pests is also better to ensure in a vertical system. Unfortunately, vertical farming is also associated with an enormous technical effort, which is a major hurdle for many farmers.

The approaches of alternative agriculture are extremely interesting from a sustainable point of view, but they are hardly suitable for mass production at the present time. The technical effort, costs and the necessary know-how are one reason why many farmers stick to conventional cultivation of their fields. Closely related to alternative agriculture is the issue of sustainable nutrition. We as consumers can also make a contribution to a more climate-friendly future with our daily purchasing decisions.

We would like to introduce you to a few sustainable food trends:

May not sound so appetizing at first, but it has a number of advantages over conventional livestock farming. Insects are extremely resource-efficient and require less food, water and land compared to cattle, pigs or chickens. Insects also produce fewer greenhouse gases and cause less pollution. Lastly, they have a high reproductive potential, so they can be farmed in large quantities. The protein requirements of the world's population are rising steadily, and even today production is not very sustainable, as livestock farming is associated with enormous emissions. Alternatives are therefore imperative in the long term. And it's not just humans who benefit from it: Insect-based food is also available for pets. Please have a look at our partner Eat Small and don't worry: Most insects, such as mealworms, are processed into protein powder and the like beforehand, so they can be eaten without any disgust factor at all.

´Cell-based meat production` or ´cultured meat` is an innovative approach that has the potential to revolutionize the way we consume meat. Test tube meat production is based on the principle of cell culture. To do this, animal stem cells are first harvested and then provided with nutrients and growth factors in a controlled environment to proliferate and differentiate. Through this process, the cells can grow into muscle tissue and eventually be formed into meals such as burgers, nuggets or steaks. This new technology has a number of advantages. Since no animals need to be slaughtered, animal welfare would be greatly improved. In addition, the enormous environmental impact resulting from conventional meat production could be drastically reduced. At the moment, the costs of cell-based meat production are still relatively high, but they could fall further in the future as investment in research increases.

Another innovative approach is Crowdfarming, a model that connects farmers and consumers and promotes the building of sustainable communities. It allows direct contact between consumers and farmers, creating a transparent and traceable food supply. Consumers can purchase shares in an agricultural production and thus share crop yields or animal products with farmers. Once you try it, you will realize that it is something completely different to have a connection to the origin of your own food. Best to do it with friends or family, then it is even more worthwhile!

Alternative agriculture offers us a wealth of innovative approaches to making our diets more sustainable and also healthier for our own bodies. We hope you can check out some of our tips for yourself! Drive through the world with open eyes - experience nature and how our food is produced, visit projects and deal with the topic of food production.

On vacation - and in the camper - is the perfect moment for this: you are outside in nature, you have time and you can get in contact with people and new concepts of development...