July 23, 2024

 

Global Seed opens Serbia's first hydroponic green feed production line

With support from Switzerland and marking 20 years of successful operation, the Global Seed company has inaugurated Serbia's first production line for hydroponic green cattle feed.

 

This innovative method uses a water solution instead of soil in a fully automated facility, conserving resources like soil and water while reducing the use of fertilisers, pesticides, and fuel. This contributes to environmental conservation and enhances the company's market competitiveness.

 

During a tour of the facility, Richard Kohli, head of the Cooperation Office at the Swiss Embassy in Serbia, emphasised the importance of expanding green surfaces to combat global warming.

 

"With this project, you save green areas and soil that would otherwise be used for cattle feed production, which could then be transformed into meadows to improve biodiversity. It is crucial for the private sector to engage in combating climate change, as the public sector alone cannot achieve sustainable development goals. We urge other companies to follow this example," said Kohli. He highlighted that Switzerland has funded projects in Serbia in areas such as green energy, energy efficiency, and decarbonization, with EUR 30 million (US$32 million) in grants.

 

Hydroponically produced green cattle feed is more nutritious than conventional feed, containing more enzymes, proteins, fibres, and vitamins than dry barley grain. It can feed all ruminants, particularly benefiting cows and sheep. This feed is ready for harvest year-round, regardless of climate conditions, ensuring a stable supply for farmers.

 

Antoine Avignon, programme manager for Environmental Protection and Climate Change from the EU Delegation in Serbia, stated, "When we launched the 'EU for Green Agenda in Serbia' project in 2022, our goal was to demonstrate that greening the economy is good for business. Two years later, pilot initiatives like Global Seed's innovative solutions prove that the circular economy benefits companies, reduces pollution, and facilitates industrial decarbonization. Clean water, soil, and air, along with better competitiveness, are advantages of the ‘EU for Green Agenda in Serbia'."

 

Miroslav Tadic, head of the Environment and Climate Change Team at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), added, "This solution can be applied to other cattle farms in Serbia, especially those lacking extensive land for feed production. We invite private companies, agricultural farms, farmers' associations, and cooperatives to apply for support through our Challenge for Green Agenda Innovation within the ‘EU for Green Agenda in Serbia' initiative."

 

Global Seed's new production facility will be heated using excess energy from a renewable source - the company's biogas power plant, which operates on cattle manure. This circular process benefits the environment, animal and human health, and the company's business.

 

"In a 150 sqm area, using solar energy, a biogas power plant, and hydroponic technology, we produce an average of 2 tonnes of green feed daily, which would otherwise require 100 hectares of land. This project is ideal for small farms, especially in Southern Serbia, where land for feed production is limited," said Sasa Vitosevic, director of Global Seed.

 

The production of green hydroponic mass from sprouted grains for ruminant nutrition is one of 53 innovative solutions supported by the "EU for Green Agenda in Serbia" project. Implemented by the UNDP with technical and financial support from the European Union, the project partners with the Ministry of Environmental Protection and cooperates with the Embassy of Sweden and the European Investment Bank (EIB). Additional funding has been provided by the governments of Sweden, Switzerland, and Serbia.

 

-      United Nations Development Programme