Čurug, 12 July 2024 – With the support by the Government of Switzerland, and on the occasion of 20 years of its successful operation, the “Global Seed” company opened the first production line for hydroponic production of fresh, green cattle feed in Serbia. This way of producing feed involves water solution, without using soil, in a specially designed and wholly automated facility. Thus the resources such as soil and water, are saved, while the use of fertilisers and pesticides, as well as fuel, is substantially decreased. This contributes to saving natural resources and environment, while simultaneously increasing competitiveness of the company on the market. 

Upon touring the facility, Head of the Cooperation Office in the Swiss Embassy in Serbia Richard Kohli said that expanding green surfaces is one of the key modes of combating global warming. 

“With this project, you save green areas and soil that would otherwise be used for the production of cattle feed, which could in turn be transformed into meadows and contribute to improving biodiversity. It is important for the private sector to also become involved in combating climate changes, since public sector cannot fulfil sustainable development goals independently. We thus invite you to also motivate other companies to engage themselves in the same way,” said Kohli. He reminded that Switzerland has been financing projects in Serbia in the fields such as green energy, energy efficiency and decarbonisation, with EUR 30 million grant funding. 

Green cattle feed produced through hydroponic cultivation is more nutritious than the conventional feed, since it includes more enzymes, proteins, fibres and vitamins than dry barley grain and can be used for feeding all ruminators, being especially beneficial for cows and sheep. This feed is ready for harvesting 365 days a year, regardless of exterior climate conditions and temperature, thus securing stable feed supply for farmers. 

“When we initiated the “EU for Green Agenda in Serbia” project in 2022, our aim was to change the frame of mind in both public and private sectors and to demonstrate that greening of the economy was good for business. Two years later, we have proven this with a couple of pilot initiatives which show that circular economy is beneficial for companies, while it also decreases pollution and facilitates decarbonisation of industrial processes. I am highly satisfied with the innovative solutions by the Global Seed that I have seen today. Clear water, clean soil and clean air, as well as better competitiveness: these are all advantages of “EU for Green Agenda in Serbia”, said Antoine Avignon, Programme Manager for Environmental Protection and Climate Changes from the EU Delegation in Serbia.

“Such a solution can easily be applied in other cattle farms in Serbia, and is especially beneficial for those not having extensive surface area of land at their disposal. I invite all the private companies, agricultural farms, farmers associations and cooperatives that need support in introducing and improving the practices of sustainable agriculture to apply to our Challenge for Green Agenda Innovation within the initiative ‘EU for Green Agenda in Serbia’“, said Miroslav Tadić, lead of the Team for Environment and Climate Changes of the United Nations Development Programme  (UNDP).

The new production facility of the Global Seed company will be heated through the excess of heating energy from a renewable source, i.e. from the biogas power plant of the company itself, working on cattle manure. This means that the entire process of feed production and cattle nutrition is rounded, i.e. circular. Except from environmental, animal and human health benefits, this type of feed production is beneficial for the company’s business.  

“In the surface area of 150 square meters, by means of solar energy, biogas power plant and the innovative technology of hydroponics, we produce 2 tons of green feed a day on average, which would otherwise require 100ha of land. Yet this is not merely about surface area, we would also need fertilisers and fuel. A project like this is ideal for small farms, especially in Southern Serbia, where not enough land is available for cattle feed production,” said Director of the Global Seed company Saša Vitošević.

Production of green hydroponic mass from sprouted grains for ruminators’ nutrition is one of the 53 innovative solutions that received support within the “EU for Green Agenda in Serbia” project. The project has been implemented by the United Nations Development Programme with the technical and financial support by the European Union, in partnership with the Ministry of Environmental Protection, and in cooperation with the Embassy of Sweden and the European Investment Bank (EIB), where additional funding has been provided by the governments of Sweden, Switzerland and Serbia.