The Farm – the Future of Farming at MDU

At The Farm, we utilize hydroponic cultivation — an innovative method where plants are grown without soil, receiving their nutrients directly from a carefully balanced water solution. Instead of soil, the plant roots rest in water or an inert growing medium, such as rock wool, which provides stability without contributing to the nutrient supply.

By optimizing access to water, nutrients, and oxygen, plants grow faster and more efficiently than in traditional farming. This technique significantly reduces water consumption by recycling the water in the system. Moreover, because we have full control over the growing environment, there’s no need for pesticides.

Hydroponic farming is a smart and sustainable solution for producing food in small spaces, such as urban environments or regions where conventional agriculture is challenging. It’s not just farming — it’s reimagining how we feed the world sustainably.

At The Farm, we also utilize aeroponic farming, an innovative cultivation method where plant roots are suspended freely in the air and periodically misted with a fine spray of water and nutrient solution. Unlike hydroponics, where roots are submerged in water or supported by a growing medium, aeroponics allows roots to access optimal levels of both oxygen and nutrients, creating an ideal environment for rapid and robust growth.

This finely-tuned misting system is highly efficient, drastically reducing water and nutrient usage. While aeroponic farming requires advanced technology to control and deliver the sprays, it enables high-yield crop production in minimal space.

Aeroponics is not just a cutting-edge technique; it’s a sustainable and innovative solution to the challenges of future food production, particularly in resource-constrained environments. With its remarkable efficiency and adaptability, aeroponics offers a glimpse of how we can cultivate abundance in even the most challenging conditions.

At The Farm, one of our most exciting and impactful areas of research is the development of advanced sensors and digital tools to enhance water and air quality monitoring. We utilize technologies like electronic noses to analyze critical parameters, including bacteria levels, greenhouse gases, and volatile organic compounds.

The insights gained from this research help us create more efficient growing environments, detect unwanted substances, and reduce resource consumption. By leveraging artificial intelligence, we identify the most effective sensors while minimizing costs. A key part of this work is the creation of a user-friendly digital platform that gathers and analyzes data in real-time.

By combining state-of-the-art technology with data-driven intelligence, we’re making significant strides toward the sustainable farming systems of the future — smarter, cleaner, and more efficient than ever before.

In partnership with Mid Sweden University, we’re pioneering new methods to monitor and improve water quality throughout its lifecycle. By integrating advanced technologies like multispectral cameras, electronic noses, and physico-chemical sensors with traditional water sampling techniques, we can create a comprehensive view of water quality and its reuse potential. Our ultimate goal is to purify water to a level suitable for food production while minimizing environmental impact.

A critical aspect of this work is designing monitoring stations capable of collecting and analyzing data from water sources in real-time. We are also experimenting with phytoremediation — using plants as natural water purifiers — where students and researchers test the effectiveness of these methods with treated wastewater.

To ensure the efficiency of these techniques, we’re developing a digital pipeline that processes images and data from experiments. For example, by analyzing water color and reflections, we can detect and trace contaminants.

Our research aims to find innovative ways to use purified water in industrial and agricultural processes. Together, these efforts are paving the way for a more circular and sustainable approach to water usage, reducing consumption while improving water quality for both ecosystems and people.

At The Farm, we’re exploring innovative ways to recycle nutrients and energy from waste, laying the foundation for more sustainable cultivation systems. A key focus of this research is extracting essential elements like phosphorus and nitrogen from wastewater sludge and biogas residues. To achieve this, we utilize a process called pyrolysis, which transforms waste materials into a stable form known as biochar.

In the future, we aim to incorporate biochar as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional growing materials in our systems. While we currently use rock wool for its inert properties, it isn’t the most sustainable option. By transitioning to biochar, we hope to create cultivation methods that are both effective and environmentally responsible. This work highlights our commitment to rethinking resources and finding innovative, greener solutions for agriculture.

In our cultivation system, we’ve integrated an innovative carbon capture solution from Direct Carbon. This cutting-edge technology, known as Direct Air Capture (DAC), efficiently extracts carbon dioxide (CO₂) directly from the atmosphere using advanced filters and fans. The captured CO₂ is then funneled into our growing spaces, where it enriches the air to enhance plant photosynthesis. By boosting CO₂ levels, we accelerate plant growth and productivity, resulting in higher yields and healthier crops.

This approach not only benefits our plants but also reduces atmospheric CO₂, making our farming practices more sustainable and environmentally friendly. By repurposing captured carbon in this way, we contribute to a circular economy and take another step toward a greener, more sustainable future.

Space farming offers an exciting and sustainable solution, drawing inspiration from the resource-efficient systems designed for space missions. The concept is simple yet important: creating a closed-loop system where everything — water, nutrients, and energy — is continuously recycled and reused, leaving no waste behind.

With advanced technologies like artificial intelligence and digital twins, these farming systems can be monitored and adjusted in real time for maximum efficiency. This ensures optimal growth conditions while conserving precious resources.

The vision for space farming extends far beyond Earth. Not only could this technology transform agriculture here at home, but it also holds the potential to sustain future space missions and long-term human exploration of other planets. It’s not just about growing crops — it’s about mastering sustainable living in resource-limited environments. This knowledge is as critical for the future of our planet as it is for humanity’s journey into the cosmos.