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What do you do if agriculture is your primary industry, but land is preciously scarce? You build a floating farm.
Published Sep 19, 2025 • Last updated 2 hours ago • 2 minute read
Some residents of Rotterdam, Netherlands, are allowed to remove a few sidewalk bricks to create small gardens. (John DeGroot photo) HandoutArticle content
What do you do if agriculture is your primary industry, but land is preciously scarce? You build a floating farm.
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The Dutch are known for tulips and cheese, yes, but also for innovation, entrepreneurial spirit and drive for sustainability. Nowhere is this truer than in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
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On a trip to the Netherlands, we didn’t put Rotterdam on the itinerary because we thought it to be a concrete city lacking the typical canals, delightful city squares, historic churches and tempting cafes for which other Dutch cities are known.
We were right and we were wrong.
The day before departure we took the train from Delft to Rotterdam to visit my nephew, Thomas, who works in city planning.
Rather than boast about Rotterdam’s major greening initiatives, Thomas focused on what is being done in small-scale interventions in urban areas.
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Rotterdam was largely destroyed when it was taken over by the Nazis during the Second World War, then further damaged when the Allies helped reclaim the city.
After the war, Rotterdam was rebuilt rapidly to become a modern port city, often with little regard for the environment and social health.
Beginning in the 1990s, Rotterdam did an about-turn and now has become one of the most people-friendly and architecturally clever cities in the world, focusing on greening and sustainability.
Among the most noteworthy initiatives is Dakpark, the rooftop park, which is nine metres wide and 1,200 metres long, creating space for folks to hang out while also serving as a dyke for water control.
Another park has been developed to replace an old railway viaduct.
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Rotterdam is a world leader in sustainability, with attention given to waste systems, local cooking, eco-smart shopping, water plazas, green roofs and citizen-driven micro green projects.
In his own neighbourhood, Thomas pointed out how they convinced the city to permit residents to remove a patch of cobblestone against their homes, measuring approximately one by two metres, enough space to create personal gardens.
Those living on the second or third floor are given quiet permission to put containers of flowers or vegetables at street level.
Another initiative in Tom’s neighbourhood involved convincing city leaders to remove one streetside parking spot (three metres by five metres) provided seven homeowners cooperate on a mini ride-share program.
Thomas took us down a quiet street leading to a narrow patch of ground adjacent to and owned by the railroad line.
The area has been lent to the community for garden plots, an outdoor ping pong table, patio, play area, benches and composting bins. The small stretch of green space has become a community gathering spot for barbeques, sharing food and strengthening social life.
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