Cultivation with aquaponics

The project aims to develop small and medium-sized equipment/complete facilities for aquaponic cultivation to benefit both individuals and companies that want to complement and develop their operations with a medium-sized facility for cultivation with aquaponics as the core idea.

In Härnösand, there is a desire to create a national center for research, development, and innovation within Foodtech. The project strengthens this idea and can inspire and support companies and individuals interested in developing new ecologically sustainable methods for cultivation. Through VISUS's collaboration with Härnösand Folk High School, longer and shorter training programs are made possible to increase knowledge and share experiences with both individuals and entrepreneurs.

The long-term goal is for the project and VISUS Economic Association to be a center for environmentally driven growth as well as the development and dissemination of ideas and knowledge about cultivation in small and medium-sized facilities for individuals, institutions, and companies.

Sustainable vegetables for education and retail

”Support from Leader Höga Kusten enabled the development of hydroponic cultivation in retail and for education.”

With that insight, they decided to remove the fish part from the production and keep the vegetable cultivation. Aquaponics became Hydroponics, where hydroponics is vegetable cultivation in water and the nutrients from fish waste are replaced with a special nutrient solution.

Nawras Alashour was employed by the new company and has had the main responsibility for adapting and developing the product, now tailored for leafy greens in stores and restaurants, which is now available at Ica Kvantum in Kvissleby. Initially, only basil was grown, but now coriander and parsley are also grown and produced.

The project carried out by Visus, which led to the creation of BlåGrön Odling AB, is a good example of an idea and a project that has come to valuable insights during its course, enabling them to create a product that fits the market better. Both in terms of for willsocial use and for education – says Felicia Edholm, project coach at Leader Höga Kusten.

In the project, greenhouses with hydroponic cultivation adapted for education have also been developed. Here, Härnösands folkhögskola is the first to use the greenhouse in their education.
Furthermore, Visus will, through a future collaboration with BlåGrön Odling, be able to fulfill their social ambitions by providing employment for people far from the labor market. VISUS is expected to be able to deliver pre-sown plants and growing plugs, among other things.

BlåGrön Odling AB is currently working on the development of version 2 of their cultivation system and hopes to reach more people who want to grow vegetables in a sustainable and efficient way.