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Duck-Feed


Sustainable Protein from Duckweed


About the Project

Duck-Feed - Sustainable Protein from Duckweed

The Duck-Feed project is a collaborative, multi-disciplinary research project, aiming to facilitate the use of duckweed as an alternative, sustainable source of protein for Ireland and thereby contributing to the circular economy. The project is funded by Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM). The project is led by UCC, and is a collaboration with researchers in TU Dublin, Teagasc and Devenish Nutrition.

The project follows on from earlier projects on the use of duckweed in circular bioeconomy systems like BRAINWAVES (funded by the Ireland-Wales Cooperation Programme) and NEWTRIENTS (funded by EPA). The EPA Research Report resulting from the Newtrients project can be found at the EPA website:

Research 411: Innovative Valorisation of Dairy Processing Wastewater Using a Circular Economy Approach (Newtrients)

Stakeholder: The Green Farmer (TGF)

 

The Green Farmer Co-operative Society Limited (TGF) is an innovative and exciting collaborative enterprise, and they are a stakeholder in the Duck-Feed project. They collaborate with our scientists to trial the reality of duckweed production on a dairy farm in the Clonmel area of Tipperary. Feedback from farmers growing and using duckweed on the farm at a commercial scale is invaluable to create a process that is not only viable, but also works in practice.

TGF is a collaborative community led by farmers and bioeconomy professionals developing practical and compliant solutions in the circular bioeconomy. Their mission is to pioneer farmer-led sustainable agriculture and to develop novel and compliant solutions to ensure a healthier and more planet-friendly way of farming for generations to come.

The Green Farmer Co-operative can be contacted via their website at https://greenfarmercoopltd.eu/.

Duck-Feed News

06 Sep 2024

Position available

Our project titled “Duckweed as a novel, sustainable source of protein for Ireland (DUCK-FEED)” aims to develop improved, small scale outdoor cultivation systems, develop Lemna growth on farm waste-streams, optimise protein extraction technology, assess feed quality, determine economic and environmental viability, and assess public acceptance of duckweed as a native, protein-rich feedstock. As a part of the project, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) will be applied to evaluate environmental impacts along the supply chain of duckweed, including farming, processing, and production of composite feeds.
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27 Mar 2024

Poster presentation at ENVIRON

Our Duck-Feed PhD researcher presented his poster entitled "Valorising Yard Washings with Native Duckweeds" at the 2024 ENVIRON conference in Waterford. The 34th Irish Environmental Researchers Colloquium “Harvest to Harbour: Research from Soil to Sea” was held at the South East Technological University in Waterford from 25 - 27 March.  
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02 Feb 2024

Duckweed Forum Issue 44

The latest issue of the Duckweed Forum newsletter has been published by the International Steering Committee on Duckweed Research and Applications (ISCDRA).
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09 Jan 2024

Development of a tiered duckweed cultivation system

A new paper has been published on the development of a stacked duckweed cultivation system: Coughlan, N. E., et al. (2023). On the rise: Development of a multi-tiered, indoor duckweed cultivation system. Water Environment Research, 95(12), e10964. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/wer.10964 The paper describes the development and operation of a multi-tiered duckweed bioreactor.  
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Plants for Sustainability

School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences | University College Cork | Distillery Fields | North Mall | Cork T23 TK30 | Ireland,

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