Queensland farmer spends $800,000 carting water as drought ravages key salad-bowl regions

A horror summer season has seen fruit and vegetable growers in Queensland go to extraordinary lengths to grow crops.

Tomato and capsicum farmer Tim Carnell has 
spent $800,000 carting water for his crops. 

Currently 65.2 per cent of the state is drought-declared, which includes some of the state's key horticultural areas. 

Farmers in the Granite Belt have told the ABC this drought is their "worst in living memory". 

The region produces up to $350 million of fruit and vegetables every year, but this year that has been at risk with the area running out of water.

It forced one farmer, Tim Carnell, to spend more than $800,000 carting water to ensure he got a crop of tomatoes and capsicums. 

Read the ABC News story from the Queensland Country Hour - “Queensland farmer spends $800,000 carting water as drought ravages key salad-bowl regions.”

Technology uses condensation and renewable energy to irrigate crops

A Perth-based company has developed an irrigation system to grow crops using just renewable energy and humidity from the air.

The vertical IBC system is growing these tomatoes from humidity in the air.

The system is called Irrigation By Condensation (IBC), and is the invention of Roots Sustainable Agricultural Technologies co-founder Boaz Wachtel.

Having lived in the Middle East, Mr Wachtel said he was aware of the constant struggle farmers faced with water scarcity.

"I was always interested in developing technologies and helping farmers, either poor or not, around the world, because I think people underestimate the difficulties farmers have," he said.

Read ABC News story by John Daly - “Technology uses condensation and renewable energy to irrigate crops.”