The world is looking for new ways to feed a growing population and without harming the environment. A tiny plant that grows in ponds might be the answer to it. The plant is known as duckweed, or water lentils, and could revolutionize the way food production is being thought.
Duckweed is packed with protein and up to 45%. This is far higher than most vegetables. It also contains more iron than spinach, more zinc than kale and also more potassium than any other vegetable. It grows quickly and doubles in size every 24 to 72 hours. It uses 90% less water than crops like soybeans and produces up to nine times more protein per acre.
Startups like Plantible and GreenOnyx are working to bring duckweed to the mainstream. Plantible has developed a protein called “Rubi” from duckweed and it acts as a binding agent for plant-based foods like burgers or desserts.
GreenOnyx sells the plant itself under the name Wanna Greens. It is small and neon-green lentils that can be added as a garnish or eaten on their own. Duckweed may be easy to grow but scaling it up to meet global demand requires significant investment and innovation.
The potential is huge and there is a cautionary tale in the failure of startup Lemnature AquaFarms that tried to harvest duckweed for protein. It shows that duckweed has promise but there is still a long way to go before it becomes a common part of our diet.
The enthusiasm for duckweed continues to grow despite hurdles. Duckweed can play a major role in addressing climate crisis and global food security if startups can overcome challenges.
