Dr Ian Goldie, Managing Director of Two Oceans Projects and Services and Technical Director at G&D Hydroponics, explains that the operation originated from an initiative focused on reducing water use. “Our focus is hydroponics, and we produce food that we can sell to the local markets around us.”
The facility produces primarily tomatoes and lettuce, with other crops also being evaluated. Its limited production footprint means crop selection is closely linked to commercial considerations. “We have a very limited footprint, because we cannot expand,” he shares. “So we have to choose what we can sell the most.”
Dr Ian Goldie at the NAMPO Cape 2026 demonstration
Different systems, tested in practice
The operation has experimented with several hydroponic production methods over the years. Tomatoes demonstrated at the facility were grown in different substrate mixes, while other systems have been developed and tested according to available space and production requirements.
Dr Goldie emphasizes the importance of practical testing rather than adopting technology simply because it is available. “People will come to us with a new idea. We will normally test and see if it works. And if it does not work, then we move on.”
Gutter systems at the Two Oceans Hydroponics project made from recycled materials
The team has also trialled vertical systems, including tower-style hydroponics. Dr Goldie shares that the development process has involved testing different approaches and assessing them against practical and commercial requirements.
The emphasis is on finding solutions that are technically workable while remaining practical to implement. “You can test something for free, and then you look at how you can do it the easiest on a budget when it comes to commercial scale.”
Lettuce varieties by Enza Zaden supplied to the Two Oceans hydroponics projects
Recycling and resource efficiency
A distinctive feature of the facility is its use of repurposed materials. The original project was based on a requirement to recycle materials wherever possible, resulting in systems incorporating old pipes and other recovered components.
“Everything you will see is old pipes and goods that people have thrown away. So that is how we started. It is very unconventional.”
The approach demonstrates that hydroponic production systems do not necessarily have to follow a standardised configuration, provided the resulting system can deliver reliable production and appropriate crop quality. Working with recycled materials and working with water more efficiently addressed two big factors in the area.
Water quality and crop protection
Water management remains central to the operation. Dr Goldie says the system monitors key parameters including pH, electrical conductivity (EC) and temperature, while water purification is also part of the technical background of the operation. “Water purification is still something we do at Two Oceans Projects and Services,” he shares, noting that this expertise has been carried into the hydroponic environment. The operation is quite close to the Southernmost Point of Africa, so water is abundant but not always of viable production quality.
While water quality is monitored, crop protection presents a separate management consideration. “The purest form of contamination is always the pest.” The team therefore places considerable emphasis on spraying routines and maintaining appropriate sanitation practices.
Bruwene Murphy, assisting Dr Ian Goldie in managing the hydroponic farm
Commercial learning through continuous trials
The facility’s development has been characterised by repeated trials, with each production cycle providing an opportunity to refine the next. Crop varieties are selected specifically for hydroponic production, and he notes that considerable experimentation remains necessary.
“The varieties we use are hydroponic-specific varieties from Enza Zaden. We are continuously trialling with them to see what works best in our operations.” For him, this iterative approach is fundamental to moving hydroponics beyond demonstration and towards commercially sustainable production countrywide. The objective is not simply to build technically interesting systems, but to establish production methods that can operate reliably, use resources efficiently and make commercial sense. The operation has been copied at two other sites in the country.