New opportunities from CIPROMED project, says Panayiotou

With the support of projects such as CIPROMED, we invest in linking science with practice, creating new opportunities for producers, farmers, livestock breeders and businesses, Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Maria Panayiotou, has said.

She was addressing a 13 December workshop organised by RTD Talos Ltd, in the framework of the CIPROMED project.

According to the Minister, the project is funded by the European PRIMA Programme and is an excellent example, as she said, of "how science and innovation can provide solutions to modern challenges."

She added that with a total budget of €4.7 million, the project brings together leading research institutions, businesses and NGOs from Mediterranean countries, enhancing cooperation and knowledge exchange.

She noted that CIPROMED focuses on the use of alternative proteins, such as microalgae and insects, to address important issues facing producers, such as high feed costs, market pressures and the need to adopt more sustainable practices.

She added that the production of sustainable alternative proteins reduces dependence on imports and enhances the resilience of agri-food systems, offering solutions that protect the environment and enhance productivity.

"Both microalgae and insects, which are the focus of the workshop, offer promising solutions. With their high nutritional value and adaptability, they are sustainable options for both animal and human nutrition, while helping to reduce environmental impact," said Panayiotou.

She added that the European Union has incorporated these innovations into its institutional framework, allowing the use of proteins from microalgae and insects in human and animal feed, with the systematic farming of insects having evolved rapidly over the last decade, while the use of these proteins in feed for fish, poultry and pigs has recently been approved under a strict legislative framework that safeguards human and animal health, in line with the One Health approach.

At the same time, microalgae, with over 50 years of cultivation, are a stable source of nutrients for aquaculture and are considered superfoods for human nutrition, with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) having classified these products as "novel foods", ensuring their safety and quality, while the FAO, in the case of insects, indicates that they are a source of high nutritional value with high levels of fat, protein, vitamins and trace elements.

Concluding, the Minister said that today's event is not only a presentation of a project, but also a platform for cooperation, adding that "by supporting projects such as CIPROMED, we are investing in linking science with practice, creating new opportunities for producers, farmers, livestock farmers and businesses."

(Source: CNA)