INAPRO met with Michèle Rivasi, Member of the European Parliament
Wednesday May 06, 2015
In March, the partners of INAPRO based in Brussels had an interesting meeting with Michèle Rivasi, a French Member of the European Parliament (MEP) belonging to the group of the Greens. Michèle Rivasi is a member of the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety.
The meeting represented a great opportunity to present the project to a supporting MEP and to exchange with her on the role that aquaponics can play in responding to the challenge of sustainable food production.
During the meeting she explained how she developed an interest in aquaponics and how the European Parliament could be a crucial actor in fostering it. She also agreed to reply to some of our questions:
How and when did you develop an interest in aquaponics? What do you think of this system?
In my constituency I met with a young entrepreneur who wanted to find support for an aquaponics project. I am currently helping him in finding financial and institutional support to carry out his project, which is even more ambitious than sole aquaponics: he wants to help the professional insertion of disabled people that would produce and consume onsite the products of his project called "Aquaponie Valley".
In your opinion, which role could aquaponics play in responding to the challenge of sustainable food production?
Aquaponics is like aquaculture. But in better! While you have pollution, contamination and diseases related to current aquaculture, aquaponics works like the circular economy our society definitely needs. A self-sustainable production providing proteins and vegetables for a healthy diet respecting the environment, what else?
How do you see the future of aquaponics in the EU? What could be the main obstacles to aquaponics’ future growth?
The future of aquaponics in the EU depends a lot on the Inapro project. By putting together people leading pilot projects, the networking will provide common solutions to general problems. This will enhance the economic viability of such projects that definitely need subsidies as a kick-starter.
Which role could the European Parliament play in supporting the development of aquaponic production?
By voting on the budget and deciding on the guidelines of the Common Agricultural Policy, the European Parliament could get funding for aquaponics projects. Also, leading MEPs should promote this new way of producing food wherever they go to whoever could be interested. There is a huge work of promotion to be done and MEPs could be aquaponics’ ambassadors, inside and outside the EU parliament.
