Rural college hub to house Fife crop farming venture

Scotland’s Rural College Innovation Hub is supporting a Fife-based venture that is looking to revolutionise crop production in urban areas.
Dominic Gammon and Leia Kennedy, the team behind the Aquaponics Garden, are creating a test farm to grow crops in urban areas at the Elmwood Campus of Scotlands Rural College. Picture: ContributedDominic Gammon and Leia Kennedy, the team behind the Aquaponics Garden, are creating a test farm to grow crops in urban areas at the Elmwood Campus of Scotlands Rural College. Picture: Contributed
Dominic Gammon and Leia Kennedy, the team behind the Aquaponics Garden, are creating a test farm to grow crops in urban areas at the Elmwood Campus of Scotlands Rural College. Picture: Contributed

Aquaponics Garden is working with Scotland’s Rural College to develop a closed-loop farming method where trout waste fertilises food and non-food crops all year-round.

It is the first “spin-in” company to join the college’s incubator programme, which helps new businesses take their first steps towards testable products and services and is part of the innovation hub.

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As well as space to develop its system, the college is providing Aquaponics Garden with access to other researchers and business mentoring services.

Dominic Gammon and Leia Kennedy, the team behind the Aquaponics Garden, will build the first pilot test farm at the SRUC Elmwood Campus in Fife.

The pair said: "We want to significantly reduce the environmental footprint of food production, as well as improve food security by bringing sustainable farming technology that overcomes seasonality to towns and cities as well as remote locations.

"We are building a space that encourages research into sustainable aquaponics technology and we are excited to collaborate with other local start-ups and researchers on this mission.

"We are only a year into our journey, but we are excited to be working with SRUC to develop a working prototype that will make a positive impact on the Scottish economy."

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