An aquaponics greenhouse that will produce 9,000 heads of lettuce per month and raise five to six tonnes of fish annually has been launched by the Hungarian minority in Slovenia near Lendava in the far northeast of the country.
"This is one of the first examples in Slovenia, but also in Europe," said Jože Meh, who initiated the project. The greenhouse is part of a model farm in the village of Banuta, operated by the Pomurje Hungarian Self-Governing Community.
The facility does not yet operate in full, as the team is waiting for vertical plant cultivation equipment from Malaysia, which is to arrive soon, said Meh.
Given the climate conditions, excessive use of pesticides, and imports from other countries, Meh believes that aquaponics is one of the solutions to improve self-sufficiency and diet by adding more fish and vegetables. The 29-hectare model farm in Banuta also features asparagus and berries plantations and breeds donkeys, horses, Krškopolje pigs, which is an autochthonous Slovenian breed, Mangalica pigs, and Hungarian grey cattle.
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