Aquaponics Iberia, a Portuguese startup that aims to grow fish and greens in an integrated system, is looking to raise €4.5 million to establish an urban farm.
The startup recently approached BlueInvest for funding support for its Fish n' Greens project to set up a facility in the Torres Vedras region, close to Lisbon. The project consists of an urban aquaponics farm aimed at transforming food production in European cities. This facility is planned to include the company's aquaponics production system, a food store, a training room, guided tours for school groups and general consumers, a café, a processing unit, and renewable energies. It aims to have the capacity to generate 45 tonnes of fresh certified fish per year, together with 130 tonnes of fresh vegetables.
Billed as being perfectly in sync with the Farm to Fork strategy, this project has the potential to increase Europe's food chain resilience in case of possible crises, according to the EU's Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.
With plans to have units in more than eight European cities in the next ten years, Aquaponics Iberia had a bumpy start, facing objections from investors regarding the expensive urban locations and the consumer preference for saltwater fish.
Read the complete article at www.thefishsite.com.