The return of Aztec floating farms
11 Oct 2022
In Mexico City, a 700-year-old Aztec farming technique is giving a sustainable edge to modern agriculture. Chinampas, or "floating gardens", are ancient engineering wonders. These man-made island-farms are the last vestiges of a massive 14th-Century land reclamation project of the Aztec Empire that continues to feed the people of Mexico City even today.
These artificial island-farms form one of the most productive agricultural systems in the world as they are incredibly efficient and self-sustaining. That's because the soil is continuously enriched by fine sediments from the lake, plant remains and animal excrement.
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