By Rich McEachran,

Beneath the blue waters 100m off the coast of Noli in northwest Italy lies a cluster of balloon-like pods pegged to the seabed by ropes half a dozen or so meters long. Inside a range of produce is being grown, including red cabbage, lettuce, beans, basil and strawberries.

It may sound like something you’d find in a science fiction novel, but this is the work of Ocean Reef Group. With the help of agricultural experts, the Genova-based scuba diving company is applying its knowledge and technology to finding new ways to produce food.

The research project, known as Nemo’s Garden, began in 2012 and currently consists of seven pods – biospheres – each of which can hold around 8-10 trays or 22 plant pots. Having improved the design of the pods over time following episodes of rot and flooding, the company is ready to scale up its testing with the ultimate aim of commercializing its operations. The company has a local government permit to operate for five months of the year (May to September) and the pod structure has been patented. The project is currently seeking financial assistance through a crowdfunding campaign which ends this week.

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