Recently, researchers from the University of Sheffield took part in an event called Journey of Life Lates, which aimed to address some of the big questions in global health and highlighted how poverty and poor soil quality can lead to malnutrition and impact development. Visitors were taken on a journey through the stages of life, starting with maternal and infant health, to show how food is vital for healthy growth and development.
The University of Sheffield's team consisted of Jake Nickles, H3 Research Fellow, Dr Moaed Al Meselmani, Researcher and Toby Evans, PhD Research Student, all members of the Institute For Sustainable Food. The team demonstrated a hydroponic growth system created inside a bike trailer, that was built by Jake Nickles explicitly for the collaborative exhibit. Event attendees were able to learn about what hydroponics is and how it works, and why these systems are essential in water/nutrient poor environments.
The hydroponic system was created as part of the H3 Project Work Package 2- Hybrid Hydroponic Horticulture. The system provides a natural solution to a lack of water and dense soil typically found in the Zaatari refugee camp, and can be used to combat malnutrition and food insecurity that residents face.
The Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan is the world’s largest camp for people displaced by the Syrian Civil War. Soaring summer temperatures combined with salty, low in organic matter soil, a lack of water and regulations in the refugee camp, mean that alternative solutions to growing crops is vital. The University of Sheffield has previously worked with the camp’s residents, training them in the basic principles of hydroponics, in order for them to grow produce to eat and sell.
There is an urgent need for a more efficient and waste-free agricultural system, and innovation and technology will play a major role in bringing about this change and ensuring that those who are hungry or malnourished have access to wholesome food. Hydroponics holds great promise for transforming the agricultural industry and advancing a more sustainable future. We can create a more environmentally friendly future with better food security, less of an impact on the environment, and healthier communities by embracing hydroponics. The way we grow and prepare food could be drastically changed by hydroponics, laying the groundwork for a more resilient and sustainable future.
Dr Moaed Al Meselmani
Researcher at the University of Sheffield
The hydroponic system created inside the bike trailer has four layers; standard soil, degraded soil replicating the soil found in the Zaatari refugee camp, mineral wool and PU foam. The tiers include tomato and basil plants at varying stages of development, indicative of soil nutrient levels. Event attendees were able to try the freshly grown produce as part of the exhibit.
Visitors could also take home a printed zine about hydroponics, its pros and cons, and the work being done by the H3 Project to address limitations. The zine includes a quiz and instructions on how to make your own DIY hydroponics systems, with illustrations created by commissioned Sheffield artist, Rosie Murrell.
The University of Sheffield worked in collaboration with United Against Malnutrition and Hunger (UAMH) for the Journey of Life Lates event.
At the collaborative exhibit, UAMH demonstrated the effect of nutrient consumption on a child’s physical development by using two bags of rice equivalent to the weight of a nourished two-year old child, versus one suffering from malnutrition. The exhibit also displayed Mid-Upper Arm Circumference bands (MUAC bands), which are used to measure the upper arm circumference of children aged 6 months to five years, as well as height charts of two children aged five, one nourished and one experiencing severe stunting, to show the difference in growth. Visitors were able to observe the direct physical consequences and irreversible damage that malnutrition in pregnancy and early childhood can cause.
Visitors could also learn more about malnutrition treatment such as Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) packets and Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) which are used to combat maternal malnutrition and improve birth outcomes.
It's been fantastic to partner with UAMH to shine a light on critical health challenges facing the world today. This was a great event that provided an opportunity to demonstrate our hydroponic crop system and allow visitors to sample the fresh produce grown. You can really see the breadth of our research activities within the Institute for Sustainable Food, from local to global and from plant chemistry to human nutrition.
Jake Nickles
H3 Research Fellow at the University of Sheffield