With food prices rising, demand for organic produce growing and concerns about diet multiplying, it is no coincidence that individuals are turning to small-scale production of vegetables and fruit, even in urban areas.
The company Dakboerin, working with city residents, schools, companies and restaurants, has set out to overcome the shortage of arable land in Dutch cities by building open-air gardens on rooftops.
Its founder, Annelies Kuiper, has always been interested in sustainability and organic food, but the inspiration for Dakboerin came from an article in “Green Amsterdam” about how difficult it is to meet the demand for organic produce.
Dakboerin designs vegetable gardens for rooftops in urban areas and, during construction, works with other specialists to calculate the building materials needed and to obtain the necessary permits. It will even design beehives and chicken coops.
The fruit and vegetables are grown from organic seeds, planted in a natural substrate, and, if desired, the gardens can be maintained by Dakboerin.
The company believes that, even as an option for businesses, the gardens can help them strengthen their environmental credentials, as well as offer employees an attractive outdoor space and food of high nutritional value.
Dakboerin reportedly won 2nd prize in the “Biodiversity Innovation” category of the “New Venture Business Plan” competition in London.
