FOOD FOR THE FUTURE

A dozen sustainable farms around the world offer intriguing possibilities for the future of agriculture.

Simple four-beat rhyming couplets concisely describe a plethora of farming methods old and new around the world, many of which will be especially useful in light of climate change. A salt farm on Kaua, an urban food forest in Nairobi, a Yemeni honey farm, a garden on the roof of Boston’s Fenway Park—all grow different edibles suited to their environment. A fish “farm” in Brazil is made up of the Enawenê-Nawê people’s handwoven fish traps held in place by a temporary dam. In contrast, the Solar Supertrees (among many vertical farms and gardens in Singapore) are technological marvels, providing solar power and collecting rainwater. A couple of underwater hydroponic biospheres in Italy and an Australian aquaculture oyster farm are followed by circular gardens in Senegal, “where Sahara and savanna meet,” and Indian dobas that collect water for dry-season use. A helpful feature of the book is the pronunciation guidance, and on every page, unobtrusive insets define terms like erosion, compost, brood, and sustainable. Attractive collagelike compositions use vivid blue, green, tan, and other hues to depict diverse people, with just enough detail to grab the eye. The backmatter puts the various farms on a world map and compresses into a few pages a lot of information on the farms and techniques. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A unique introduction to traditional and innovative agricultural options.