The Blue Chain

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Greenhouse farming is going through a difficult period due to rising costs and increasing global competition. As a result, both Flanders and the Netherlands are implementing a supportive policy for greenhouse farming in order to be able to achieve the necessary transition and corresponding modernisation. The goal is to find complements to the existing range, such as the commercial cultivation of microalgae used for applications in the food and textile industries, the construction sector, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Within the range of bio-based microalgae, spirulina offers the greatest potential, as it is a major source of phycocyanin (blue colouring). It could be a valuable replacement for the artificial variety, Brilliant Blue (E133), which is associated with hyperactivity and other health risks. At the moment, most microalgae are imported from Asia and the United States. The proposed cultivation in Flanders and the Netherlands therefore needs to distinguish itself by means of its high quality. The logistics process from cultivation to processing also needs to be economically appealing to ensure sufficient customers for these microalgae. Greenhouses are eminently suitable for the purpose and, with some retraining, there are plenty of people in the region with the technical knowledge required to achieve high-quality, efficient cultivation. One great benefit of the project is the cultivation of duckweed on the wastewater, which functions as an excellent water purifier. The 'blue chain' is a step towards a new, large-scale sector. If this farming proves profitable, there is room for dozens of hectares of microalgae farming under glass or in container fields, making the Flemish-Dutch border region a world-scale valuable partner.

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