The Raiz Solution: Cultivating a Greener Tomorrow
At Raiz, we are determined to create a climate-resilient and sustainable future by building a decentralized food network that leverages vertical farming technology. Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) and vertical farming allow us to grow food using less water, through a shorter supply chain, and without relying on seasonality or outside weather.
Our Flagship Farm, based in Lisbon, produces quality greens all year round while cutting down on energy consumption compared with other vertical farms. Every month, our 800 plants produce 60kg of produce for local restaurants and families, avoiding emissions from a long supply chain and saving water through hydroponics. We accomplish this by integrating our own solar panels and a hybrid model using both natural light and LEDs. By creating more climate positive vertical farms, we will address the growing need for local food production in urban areas experiencing increased population growth.
Extreme weather events, food security & long supply chains
Our passion for changing our relationship with food stems from witnessing the shortcomings of a flawed and outdated agricultural system combined with our mission to help solve world hunger. The inefficiencies of long supply chains, the environmental impact of transportation, and the excessive water usage can be offset through the implementation of climate-resilient vertical farming. As the availability of arable land decreases, it is crucial to grow food efficiently. We must reimagine how we grow and consume food in order to preserve our environment and nourish our communities.
Nurturing Collaboration and Growth in Celo Camp
We were inspired to develop a Web3 solution for Raiz on the Celo blockchain because of Celo’s focus on sustainability and social impact. The guidance, mentorship, and collaboration within Celo Camp created a transformational experience that propelled us to deploy our solution on-chain and validate it with our future users. During the camp, we worked on developing a dApp where users can invest in a piece of a farm and receive yields based on the revenue generated by the farm. Additionally, our dApp provides insight into impact metrics of the vertical farm such as water, emissions and land use avoided.
One of the biggest challenges in vertical farming is the high upfront investment to launch a farm. That's why we are creating a decentralized investment platform as a way to finance the hardware in a more efficient manner. Additionally, we are integrating Web3 technology to establish a traceability protocol which ensures transparency in the food supply chain and enables consumers to trace their food's journey from farm to table.
Our decentralized financing platform will aggregate funding from diverse sources, provide higher liquidity for future vertical farming projects, and scale our food-growing network. Through fractional ownership models, individuals can finance new farms, fostering a sense of ownership and shared responsibility in cultivating a global vertical farming network.
Cultivating the Future: Seeds of Transformation
Looking ahead, our vision for Raiz is a decentralized food system where vertical farming networks thrive, nourishing communities and restoring balance between people, planet & technology. But we can't do it alone—we need partners that share our vision and want to collaborate in creating food-water-energy ecosystems throughout the world.
Join Raiz, spread the word about our mission, and actively engage in the decentralized food movement. By reaching out to us and engaging your community, you could even launch your own vertical farm too! Let's make a difference, one farm at a time.
