Forest Hydroponic Organic Argiculture,

Method for Food Production Dedicated to Deal Deforestation,Water

Scarcity,.

Jaime Lagunez Otero

Centro Internacional de Ciencias
Cuernavaca Morelos.
jlagunez@gmail.com, lagunez@crionica.org

Due to excessive use of forest land, water and fertilizers, present agricultural
practices have become a true risk not only to the well-being of the human
population but to the biosphere, in general. Agriculture accounts for nearly
80% of water consumption and 80% of deforestation. It is urgent that we
look for alternatives to traditional farm practices. Some good ideas have
come from organic, hydroponic and agro-forestry research communities.

I believe that growing in the same physical space different varieties of plants
WITHOUT water run-off and PERMITTING the presence of trees by
cutting only lower branches rather than tilling. This would save important
amounts of vital resources.

Though the optimal combination of varieties of plants has yet to be

determined, I succeeded in maintaining healthy Z. mays plantules and
seedlings, growing along with semi-aquatic ornamental plants such as
Caladium (Oxalate crystals in leaves, to my knowledge, or even absorbed by
Z. mays or other staple crops) in impermeable containers. It is evident that
these types of plants are better equipped to stand microbial stress found in
non-flowing water.

In the early stages of growth, I have found that using moist soil with a moss
covering suffices for fertility. With respect to the trees allowed to be in the
same cultivation field, the height can be simply determined by the point
where a previously determined amount of lumens is allowed to reach the
plants. It should be noted that the sale of the ornamental plants and the cut
branches, can represent additional income to the producer.

I termed this methodology as: ''forest hydroponic organic argiculture'' or

''hidroponica organica agroforestal'' in Spanish. In summary the proposal:
1. Rejects water run-off because it is a cause of water scarcity (and pollution
related to the production of synthetic fertilizers), 2. In an adamant way
rejects deforestation, and 3. Suggests the cultivation of several varieties of
plants in the same physical space in order to take advantages of micro-
ecologies offering cooperative advantages to the plants. The idea exposed
can also be considered as part of a global call to the application of new
methods of production that preclude deforestation, water scarcity and
unnatural desertification.