Waldland
The project seeks to offer new income alternatives to farmers in the region Waldviertel by training them to farm catfish in an innovative recirculating aquaculture system (RAS), built inside a container. The corresponding policy goal is to increase freshwater fish production in Austria in a sustainable way.
Topic Area: Aquaculture and Fisheries / Innovation
Disaggregation Level: Aquaculture / Knowledge transfer & Innovation
Project Region: Lower Austria
Programming Period: EMFF 2014-2020
Project Period: 2015 – 2017
Project Costs: ~ 864.000 €
Subsidy from the EMFF programme: ~ 354.000 €
Point of Departure
Waldland, an active community of over 1,000 farmers in the Waldviertel region in Lower Austria, has a rich history fostering alternative agricultural production as a way to diversify income of farmers. While there is a tradition of pond farming of carp in the region, the production of freshwater fish in closed recirculating aquaculture systems is a new income alternative for farmers. The main idea is that farmers learn aquaculture on their own farm while being accompanied by Waldland throughout the process. The project also foresees extensive training of the farmers. It serves as a decision-making tool for farmers on whether to enter into aquaculture production, as they do not have any financial risks yet. Furthermore, it contributes towards covering the demand for “Waldlands Edelwelsfilet”, a catfish specialty.
Targets and target groups
- Sustaining, improving and increasing production, thereby contributing to the policy goal of increasing the self-sufficiency in freshwater fish via aquaculture, a goal set by the Austrian government
- Mitigation of environmental impacts via the innovative, closed container system
- Increasing the value of first sales
- Increase in direct sales, thereby improving the economic position of processing SMEs
- Creating employment opportunities in a rural area
Project Implementation and Measures
- Planning and development of a container with a completely integrated closed recirculating aquaculture system. The system is designed according to the “plug and play principle”: it is operational immediately after connecting to a power source, and is therefore easy to handle.
- Intensive on-site training of farmers over the span of a year. Farmers can learn aquaculture free from financial risks on their own farm, accompanied by Waldland..
Results and Effects
- Increase in production of freshwater fish: thereby contributing to the policy goal of more self-sufficiency.
- Sustainable production and breeding of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus): Waldland is now able to produce fish fry that not only covers, but also exceeds the amount necessary for its own production. The surplus is sold in Austria and Central Europe.
- Creation of one full-time employment in a rural region.
