Nofima secures funding for aquafeed research

The Research Council of Norway has awarded NOK 1.24 billion (€110 million) to strengthen research and innovation, including funding for Nofima’s Aquafeed Technology Centre.

The centre is among 18 projects receiving support in the latest funding round, which will develop and upgrade national research infrastructure. All funded infrastructure projects are part of the Norwegian Roadmap for Research Infrastructure, according to the Research Council of Norway.

“We are incredibly proud and delighted today,” said Tor Andreas Samuelsen of Nofima, who heads the centre in collaboration with the University of Bergen and NORCE.

The funding will support Phase II of the Aquafeed Technology Centre, strengthening Norway’s capacity to develop and test raw materials, ingredients and feed for aquaculture and other bio-based industries.

“Upgrading the Aquafeed Technology Centre puts us in an even stronger position to contribute to the development of a sustainable industry for feed ingredients, feed and other bio-based products,” Samuelsen said.

The infrastructure will provide research groups and industry with access to advanced facilities for processing, formulating and evaluating new feed raw materials. The project aims to support more sustainable resource utilisation and innovation across the aquaculture sector, while strengthening knowledge of raw materials, nutrition and feed utilisation in farmed fish.

“Phase 1 of the Aquafeed Technology Centre has been an important driver of research and innovation,” said Erik-Jan Lock, research director for Nutrition and Feed Technology at Nofima. “With this investment, we are ensuring that Norway will continue to have the knowledge and capacity to develop and process the raw materials of tomorrow.”

The Aquafeed Technology Centre was established in 2015, when Phase 1 received funding. The new investment will build on that infrastructure and further develop its role as a national research resource.