Aquaponic Urban Farming In Berlin

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REWE.de Nutrition 

Perch and Basil From The Capital

Yes, you read it right! Thanks to modern concepts, the Berlin start-up ECF Farmsystems is now breeding "perch" and "basil" in the middle of Berlin. You can buy both in around 140 REWE stores in Berlin, Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Together with the start-up, REWE is committed to holistic, sustainable and regional food production.

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Perch and basil in the middle of Berlin

Regional and sustainable foods are absolutely on-trend right now. More and more people are concerned about the environment, want to avoid unnecessary transport routes and unnecessary packaging material. They like to buy products from their region, but groceries straight from the big city have so far been rare. Thanks to the aquaponics method, it is now possible to grow fruit, vegetables, and even fish in the city. Industrial wasteland and other unused areas in cities can be wonderfully upgraded as “urban farming” areas. Large flat roofs will also be the best areas for urban food cultivation in the future. The Berlin start-up ECF Farm is breeding on the site of an old malt factory fresh cichlid and basil in the middle of the capital. With success! The two entrepreneurs Nicolas Leschke and Christian Echternacht spent five years working on the ideal method of combining fish and plant breeding. Meanwhile, the two true experts in the field of aquaponics and advise interested parties across Europe.

Aquaponics?

AQUAkultur = Fish and other marine animals are raised in large basins on land.

HydroPONIK = Plants are not grown in soil, but in an inorganic substrate (gravel or expanded clay) in greenhouses and fed with an aqueous solution.

How does aquaponics work?

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Aquaponics is a mixture of aquaculture and hydroponics, i.e. fish farming and vegetable cultivation are combined in an ingenious way. The principle is very simple: The fish are bred in large fish tanks in aquaculture and fed with organic food. In contrast to conventional aquacultures, the fish are not given antibiotics. Fish excrete ammonium, which is converted to nitrate in a special aquaculture filter. Nitrate is again the main component of the hydroponic plant fertilizer. Here comes the highlight of the method: The water in the fish tanks has to be replaced by three to five percent every day. It is guided from the aquaculture into the hydroponics facility using a special technique. There the basil is irrigated with the water from the fish tanks. The basil is fertilized automatically by the nitrate contained in the water. One can say that the fish feeds the basil. Incidentally, the urban farmers do not use pesticides or genetic engineering for growing herbs. All processes are optimized to protect the environment and resources. The water that the plants do not absorb is cleaned by a natural filter and remains partly in the hydroponic cycle and partly returned to the fish tanks. This creates a constant and resource-saving cycle. is cleaned by a natural filter and remains partly in the hydroponic cycle and is partly returned to the fish tank. This creates a constant and resource-saving cycle. is cleaned by a natural filter and remains partly in the hydroponic cycle and is partly returned to the fish tank. This creates a constant and resource-saving cycle.

Sustainability through "urban farming"?

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Thanks to on-site production, manufacturers save six tons of plastic waste a year. For short transport, for example, you can completely do without plastic trays for irrigation. But not only the environment benefits from the short transport routes, the customer can also look forward to locally produced and extremely fresh products.

Is aquaponics a concept with a future? Certainly! With this technology, unused areas in the city can be used sensibly. In addition, water consumption is significantly lower than in conventional agriculture. The quality of the herbs and vegetables is also very high, as it is much easier to control in a closed cycle. However, it has not yet been possible to breed native fish using this technique. In the summer it gets very warm in the fish tanks and at these temperatures only tropical fish feel comfortable. For example the African cichlid, African catfish or the pakus from South America. The options for fruit and vegetable cultivation, on the other hand, are diverse: whether salad, herbs, tomatoes, Strawberries or zucchini - many types of fruit and vegetables can be easily grown in aquaponic farms. The big advantage: fruits and vegetables are only harvested when they are ripe. As a result, they taste much better than green harvested goods that only artificially ripen during transport.

In the vision of the two urban farmers, supermarkets will grow their own vegetables on roofs or other urban open spaces in the future. A first step in this direction is the sale of “perch from the capital” and “basil from the capital” in Berlin's REWE stores. Demand is high and customers are very satisfied with the regionally grown products.

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Herbs, Sold Entirely in Paper Instead of Plastic

Hauptstadt Basil Now Only in Recycled Paper

REWE and ECF Farmsystems are testing new forms of product packaging. The capital city basil produced in Berlin is now packed 100% plastic-free. Both the funnel-shaped plastic bag (sleeve) and the plastic pot are dispensed with. Instead, their Hauptstadt Basil will be packed exclusively in recycled paper. The customer can cut the bag along the dotted lines and the paper recycling bag becomes a substitute pot. The substitution of plastic bags saves approximately 2.1 tons of plastic per year.

In addition, the elimination of the pots saves about 5.1 tons of plastic per year. The innovation has a pilot function: If the new packaging method is accepted by the customers and proves itself in practice, its use can also be expected for other herb pots and nationwide.

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Herbs in sustainable paper packaging / Picture: Rewe

As early as 2017, REWE and ECF Farmsystems tested new ways in transport packaging. By dispensing with plastic irrigation trays for the capital's basil, six tons of plastic waste were saved annually. Building on this experience, REWE also dispensed with transport irrigation trays for other products available nationwide, thus saving 90 tonnes of plastic per year for potted herbs alone.

Raising perch and growing herbs under one roof

Since the beginning of 2017 REWE and the Berlin start-up, ECF Farmsystems have been committed to a holistic and environmentally friendly process for the production of perch and basil: Aquaponics. The breeding of cichlids in the middle of Berlin is combined with the cultivation of herbs - because these are optimally fertilized by the nutrient-rich water from the fish farm. From fish food to plant fertilizer to basil and perch in the supermarket, there is a complete production cycle in the heart of the capital. At the same time, local cultivation shortens transport routes and cold chains for greater sustainability and freshness.

The capital city perch and capital city basil are available at 280 REWE stores in Berlin, Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

Source: REWE

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Publication date: Mon 25 May 2020