Article extracted from publication  " CLARO QUE SE PUEDE - Of Course You Can "   Research and Development

National Council for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICYT)

Ministerio de Educación y Cultura (MEC)

Interamerican Development Bank (IADB)
     November 1997.

AQUAFOOD : 

AN INNOVATIVE HYDROPONIC RURAL FARM

In spite of its name that ties it to the field, the property where the Engineer (M. Sc.) Martin Caldeyro develops his activities, is in the limit of Montevideo, (Uruguay), near Carrasco stream. Looking for an activity that would be economically viable and that would also increase the life quality of his family. Caldeyro began to experience with hidroponics four years ago. To enlarge his knowledge in the subject he used specified texts, visited several hidroponic farms and went to congresses in other countries.

Today he has reached his objective; he is living of this activity. He combines the commercial and educational side of it, while he continues with the research and the development of efficient devices of low cost. The commercial activity is centered in hydroponic aromatic plants under AQUAFOOD brand, that are sold in small flowerpots in supermarkets. This presentation allows to keep the plant even in small houses, therefore it can be used when it is needed. Caldeyro new project is the commercial production of hidroponic lettuces, for this reason he is developing irrigation devices with timer for a better use of the nutrients (NFT).

The educational activity enriches the approach of this activity. Besides the participation in the television program "Muy Buenos dias", Caldeyro  offers courses in his own establishment. His primary purpose is to make something important that would broad the mind of lots of people; for that reason he makes other social works. He talks with enthusiasm about the people who go to his courses and make with their own hands their orchard. This activity also has the objective of protecting the environment because it uses nonpolluting techniques and a great amount of recycled materials. 

In just a short time, this pioneering activity in Uruguay has been increasingly developed, showing  its social and commercial viability. An activity that can no longer be call agriculturist and that is a successful innovation, confirming once again that we have to believe in diversity in all orders of life.