Forage and flowers cultivated using wastewater from a dairy company, Vitalait of Mahdia – it’s a brilliant idea that combines innovation and ecology. Meet Verdura, the start-up founded by Soumaya Alaya, an agricultural engineer, with the support of the CLIMA project.

Mahdia is a significant dairy basin, thanks to its small-scale breeders. However, in recent years, these small-scale breeders have faced serious challenges due to drought and the rising cost of animal feed. “In this context,” Soumaya narrates, “I thought that alfalfa could be a good solution given its nutritional value […]”

Verdura represents a virtuous example of reusing and valorizing a precious and increasingly scarce resource like water. In Mahdia’s context, it could be a replicable solution to address water scarcity issues. However, Soumaya and her husband face challenges of a different nature: “Our problems,” she shares, “are mainly financial and related to the limited distribution of our products due to the lack of a vehicle. Additionally, the agricultural area we use is still too small to generate significant revenue.”

However, some progress has been made, thanks to the CLIMA project: “Thanks to the project,” she continues, “my start-up has become a legal entity. Moreover, the program provided us with technical support in entrepreneurship and ecology, along with financial assistance through an initial grant of 12,321 dinars (3,690 euros) for purchasing materials necessary for flower cultivation and forage activities.”