Optimization of aquaponics to reduce its environmental footprint and increase its social and economic benefits.
Optimization of aquaponics to reduce its environmental footprint and increase its social and economic benefits.
The Challenge
Sustainable food production depends on the recovery of water, energy, and nutrients from waste streams within existing supply chains. Greenhouse hydroponic systems (HYP) and recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) are two intensive food production systems that in combined production as aquaponics (AP) can utilize fish wastes as fertilizers, while recycling water and energy to increase both systems’ sustainability and efficiency. Such systems are gaining the attention of entrepreneurs and policy makers globally because of their ability to meet local consumer demand for fresh produce from vegetable/fruit crops and high-quality protein from fish. Prior consortia research indicates that engagement with such resource-efficient systems requires designs that not only optimize performance but remain sustainable as market demands, supply chains, and climate evolve. Hence implementation of social, economic, and technological innovations must respond to stakeholder needs and their ability to adapt. As such, this project contributes to decarbonized, and resource-efficient food production with an interdisciplinary approach; it improves nutrient reuse and microbial relationships for fish and plant health; increases energy efficiency; reduces fossil fuel dependency and freshwater needs; develops scalable models for implementation; enhances deployment of human resources with technologies; explores how AP can be adapted to geoclimatic diversity.
Aquaponics
Aquaponics (AP) is a system composed of both HYP and RAS with biofilters in between where bacteria convert organic matter from RAS wastes into nutrients to fertilize HYP edible crops. It is a circular loop system recycling both water and nutrients that would otherwise be lost, so it significantly reduces water consumption and nutrient inputs. Pumps, fans, lights, and heating/cooling devices typically use energy from fossil fuels, but there are exciting opportunities now to integrate alternative energy sources to significantly reduce that dependency. Widespread adoption of aquaponics as a ‘green’ sustainable food production system needs further research and innovation to optimize system performance through enhancing biofilters, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and assisting producers in transitioning to energy-efficient AP designs that fit their local human and natural resources, while supporting them in management, marketing, and distribution decisions.
Goals
Globally, the feasibility and environmental footprint of AP systems depends on climate, technology adoption levels, and cultural contexts. To address these needs, this project also leverages socioeconomic expertise and stakeholder knowledge to create a truly interdisciplinary team on five continents. The partners share the goal of advancing AP technology and implementation that support regional environmental, economic, and social sustainability objectives. The project aims to enhance a climate-change-resilient food production system that:
1. Reduces, reuses, and recycles inputs while increasing nutrient and water use efficiencies.
2. Reutilizes industrial and agricultural waste streams to turn them into food, energy, and profit.
3. Provides ways to produce food that adapt to local climate change conditions.
4. Builds community capacity to support and sustain positive change through skills development and knowledge exchange.
The Challenge
Sustainable food production depends on the recovery of water, energy, and nutrients from waste streams within existing supply chains. Greenhouse hydroponic systems (HYP) and recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) are two intensive food production systems that in combined production as aquaponics (AP) can utilize fish wastes as fertilizers, while recycling water and energy to increase both systems’ sustainability and efficiency. Such systems are gaining the attention of entrepreneurs and policy makers globally because of their ability to meet local consumer demand for fresh produce from vegetable/fruit crops and high-quality protein from fish. Prior consortia research indicates that engagement with such resource-efficient systems requires designs that not only optimize performance but remain sustainable as market demands, supply chains, and climate evolve. Hence implementation of social, economic, and technological innovations must respond to stakeholder needs and their ability to adapt. As such, this project contributes to decarbonized, and resource-efficient food production with an interdisciplinary approach; it improves nutrient reuse and microbial relationships for fish and plant health; increases energy efficiency; reduces fossil fuel dependency and freshwater needs; develops scalable models for implementation; enhances deployment of human resources with technologies; explores how AP can be adapted to geoclimatic diversity.
Aquaponics
Aquaponics (AP) is a system composed of both HYP and RAS with biofilters in between where bacteria convert organic matter from RAS wastes into nutrients to fertilize HYP edible crops. It is a circular loop system recycling both water and nutrients that would otherwise be lost, so it significantly reduces water consumption and nutrient inputs. Pumps, fans, lights, and heating/cooling devices typically use energy from fossil fuels, but there are exciting opportunities now to integrate alternative energy sources to significantly reduce that dependency. Widespread adoption of aquaponics as a ‘green’ sustainable food production system needs further research and innovation to optimize system performance through enhancing biofilters, reducing reliance on fossil fuels, and assisting producers in transitioning to energy-efficient AP designs that fit their local human and natural resources, while supporting them in management, marketing, and distribution decisions.
Goals
Globally, the feasibility and environmental footprint of AP systems depends on climate, technology adoption levels, and cultural contexts. To address these needs, this project also leverages socioeconomic expertise and stakeholder knowledge to create a truly interdisciplinary team on five continents. The partners share the goal of advancing AP technology and implementation that support regional environmental, economic, and social sustainability objectives. The project aims to enhance a climate-change-resilient food production system that:
1. Reduces, reuses, and recycles inputs while increasing nutrient and water use efficiencies.
2. Reutilizes industrial and agricultural waste streams to turn them into food, energy, and profit.
3. Provides ways to produce food that adapt to local climate change conditions.
4. Builds community capacity to support and sustain positive change through skills development and knowledge exchange.
Project Objectives
This project addresses all stages in the food supply chain by addressing concerns ranging from
- Food production and food storage
- Water, energy and nutrient-use efficiency
- Food safety and biosecurity issues
- Political and regulatory frame
Project Objectives
This project addresses all stages in the food supply chain by addressing concerns ranging from
- Food production and food storage
- Water, energy and nutrient-use efficiency
- Food safety and biosecurity issues
- Political and regulatory frame