ReWahli

The aim of this research project is to create a product that can effectively and economically lower nutrient levels in water bodies, including natural water sources and agricultural wastewater. To achieve this, duckweed, a natural phytoremediator, is being utilized. Duckweed has the ability to rapidly absorb nutrients like nitrate and phosphorus from water and convert them into harvestable biomass. Simultaneously, it serves as a protein-rich feed for various livestock species such as cattle, pigs, poultry, and fish, allowing it to be reused on-site within a circular system and facilitating nutrient recycling.
The project uses various animal species as models to develop a circular economy, where nutrients from wastewater are transformed into feed for livestock and reintegrated into the farming process. Fish are the first model species, followed by geese.
Duckweed will be applied in different forms: as fresh feed directly from the water surface (for tilapia and grass carp), in processed forms for other fish species (such as carp and trout), and in freshly harvested, short-term storable forms (e.g., silage) for geese. The project will evaluate which types of duckweed are most suitable as feed for fish and geese, the best growing conditions, and how it can be preserved through drying and silage techniques.

Additionally, the nutritional value of duckweed will be assessed, and the quality of the final products—fish and goose meat—will be analyzed. The main focus of the project is to utilize local resources for producing high-quality food, recycle nutrients, preserve and enhance water bodies, and explore the innovative and cost-effective use of a locally sourced feed.

Project partner:<


Running time:
1.05.2022 - 30.4.2025


Funding reference number:
2.1.1/2022 EIP-2022-12


Funding: