Holandeses testam fazendas 'flutuantes':aposta bonus cadastro
The story…
Can floating farms help us cope with climate change?
Learn language related to…
cows
Need-to-know language
dairy products – foodstuff made from or containing milk
milked – drew milk from a cow or other animal
manure – animal excrement used as a fertiliser
herd – large group of animals of the same species that live together
animal welfare – care for the physical and mental needs of animals
Answer this…
What's the advantage of floating farms in a world facing climate change?
Watch the video online: https://bbc.in/2KLnbg1
Transcript
Fresh milk - within touching distance of the city. These cattle have been recruited as part of an experiment to show rapidly growing urban populations how to produce our meals closer to home.
Peter believes this is the future of milk and cheese.
Peter van Wingerden, 'floating' dairy farmer
You see a huge migration from the countryside towards cities and the other thing is we have [a] climate change going on. So we were looking also for what we call a climate-adaptive location. So no matter how much rain falls, no matter how high sea level goes, we can always produce our life essential[s] - healthy food.
The floating pontoon is built on three levels. In the basement they're growing fruit to flavour the dairy products, which are processed in the middle. And on top, 32 native Dutch Meuse-Rhine-Issel cows.
The cows are milked by robot machines. Their manure is collected by pooper-scooping robots. They're fed by robots too.
The farmer lives nearby, but he can keep an eye on his herd remotely via apps on his mobile phone. The cows seem to be adjusting to this hands-free approach.
And on the question of animal welfare…
Minke van Wingerden, 'floating' dairy farmer
We try to make them happier on [a] floating farm than in a regular stable.
This living lab will help to determine whether floating farms make enough environmental and commercial sense to expand and export them.
Did you get it?
What's the advantage of floating farms in a world facing climate change?
They say floating farms can continue operating no matter how high sea levels go.