microTERRA: Cultivating algae in wastewater and utilising it as pet food

The fertilizer runoff from agriculture and animal manure are the two leading causes of water pollution. This causes excessive nutrients to end up in the waterways and directly impacts people's health, food and water security and biodiversity. To combat the problem, sustainable and scalable agriculture methods need to be employed.

Mexican startup microTERRA is tackling the problem by growing Lemna (type of aquatic plant) in the unutilised space of fish farms. The water used to farm fish needs to be changed multiple times a week, creating large amounts of wastewater. By cultivating Lemna in the wastewater, the plant soaks up the excess nutrients and cleans the water in the process, creating a net positive cycle. After cultivation, the Lemna is harvested and used as a functional protein-rich ingredient in pet food.

Founded by Marissa Cuevas Flores, Paola Constantino Diaz, and Fanny Villiers microTERRA also aims to remove the taste and colour of Lemna to make it attractive for the plant-based meat and dairy industries in the future.

Read more: microterra.com