Promoting Resilient Agriculture

Aquaponics creates agricultural alternatives that are more resilient to climate change. Our innovative, unique systems will integrate internal alternative energy sources combined with semiconductor climate control devices. This will allow us to achieve our desired food production at a net zero carbon footprint.

More advantages are:
- Water conservation: 90% less use of water compared to traditional agricultural practices
- Land conservation: 60% less use of land compared to traditional agricultural practices
- Vegetables free of pesticides and herbicides
- Fish free of heavy metals
- Strengthening of the local economy
- Less need of physical labor to harvest food
- Younger generations reintegrating into agriculture

To add to these points, we will create a new local supply of salmon and vanilla bean for Portugal's market that can also be exported to other countries.

Aquaponic systems are a combination of aquaculture, breeding and harvesting fish, and hydroponics, which involves growing plants without soil. We'll be building a unique and innovative aquaponics facility that will achieve a net zero carbon foot print through internal hydroelectric and solar energy, sensor technology, bluetooth and wifi integrations. Our Portugal-based facility will have a unique climate control system. We will use this to grow vanilla bean and also salmon, both which aren't traditionally grown and harvested in aquaponic systems. With this network, we'll create a new source of locally produced salmon and vanilla bean, both products that are currently imported into Iberia. We also aim to make farming more attractive to youth by highlighting tech in agriculture. 

This solution will have an impact in the lives of the local community. Aquaponics play a crucial role in the future of environmental and socio-economic sustainability. Nowadays the world is facing a number of serious problems: climate change, soil degradation, water scarcity and food security ((COST FA1305, 2015). Van den Bosch and Depledge (2015)). As noted in a 2015 study in the International Journal of Scientific Research and Innovative Technology, the past 50 years have seen massive expansion of agriculture, with food production more than doubling in order to meet demand. However, this has left us with 60% of all ecosystem services degraded, accelerated species extinction, and huge loss in genetic diversity. Neglecting ecosystems concerns has also provoked a fisheries crisis. Salmon harvested from aquaculture practices has been proven to contain heavy metals and there's no local supply of salmon. We also don't have a significant vanilla bean exportation product in Portugal.

We are social entrepreneurs and horticulturalists that want to be part of the change and innovate agriculture as we know it. We are also affected by unsustainable agriculture and want to demonstrate what this type of innovation can look like on a larger scale. 

We have over 20 years experience building Aquaponic systems but have not yet built out a facility of this scale. We have a prototype but we need the financing to implement this project.

It will serve over 2000 people.

We need the network and partnerships that SOLVE helps us connect with that will assure that this project is a successful one. We believe in the collective impact approach and SOLVE offers us the community to achieve this. 

This project aims to bring technological advancement and innovation to the agricultural and fisheries sector while fighting climate change.  We will be building a one of a kind, state-of-the-art recirculating aquaponic facility called "Aqua Root" that will grow and harvest two high value food products: Salmon and Vanilla Bean. Aquaponics combines hydroponic and aquaculture technology. Through our unique climate controlled units and facility which operate through sensor technology, we will be able to create a new source of vanilla bean production and a new source of salmon cultivation outside of the traditional farming and aquaculture methods.  We will introduce innovative agricultural technology to subsistence farmers and fisherman through access to what will be referred to as “Aqua Branch” systems. This systems will grow leafy greens and, most importantly, produce feedstock for salmon production which we will purchase from "Aqua Branch" owners.  

- We'll be creating a new local production of salmon and vanilla bean as well as an additional local supply of vegetables.

- We'll be fomenting resilient agriculture through an aquaponics manufacturing facility that uses 90% less water than traditional agriculture in a drought stricken region. 

- We'll improve technology innovation in agriculture.

The European parliament nominated Aquaponics as one of 10 technologies that could change our lives. The World Health Organization estimates that 70% of the world's population will live in urban centers by 2050. As we scale up, we can implement this unique agricultural innovation in the middle of any urban center. Food and water security may be the largest issues facing human survival on this planet. Already today, we are witnessing the crippling effects of rapid climate change on food security. Aquaponic systems cut water use, decrease dependence on fertilizers and pesticides, and make much more flexible use of land. We can improve the quality of the market supply while stimulating the local economy. The Covid-19 crisis only confirms the importance of having control of local food production in the future. Not only that, but we are changing the perception of farming for youth by showing them that you can be a farmer and work in tech at the same time.

Our innovative agricultural facility has built in resiliency to confront energy and climate crises. Current agricultural practices are vulnerable to an array of uncontrollable variables. By combining and modifying existing technology from different industries we will be creating a pioneering food production facility.  Salmon and vanilla bean are both widely consumed products throughout Europe. However, they aren't necessarily grown and harvested sustainably.Our unique facility will be a responsible and innovative agricultural technology that allows consumers to make ethical choices through their consumption and provides distributors a way to lower their carbon footprint. We know both consumers and companies are searching for ways to be part of sustainable environmental change. We will be able to be a viable and profitable resource for sustainability in commercial food production.

We believe it will be successful because of how necessary it is for the world to find alternatives to traditional agriculture. We simply need a more sustainable way to produce food and agricultural goods and our systems integrate the technology and innovation needed to do this. 

Sea temperatures are raising. As greenhouse gases trap more energy from the sun, the oceans are absorbing more heat, resulting in an increase in sea surface temperatures and rising sea level. Growing salmon in an enclosed Aquaponic system is an important step towards keeping our food systems viable. As noted in a 2015 study in the International Journal of Scientific Research and Innovative Technology, the past 50 years have seen massive expansion of agriculture, with food production more than doubling in order to meet demand but it has left us with 60% of all ecosystem services degraded, accelerated species extinction, and huge loss in genetic diversity. Neglecting ecosystems concerns has provoked a fisheries crisis too. Lastly, sustainability in agriculture also means making agriculture attractive to a younger generation. Aquaponics has us trading coveralls for lab coats to grow food with significantly less physical labor required. We need change now and this is a way to achieve it. 

Our aquaponics facility will use low voltage DC electric components combined with Peltier thermoelectric modules in series. This will replicate the capacity of conventional  industrial agriculture heating and cooling units in a far more efficient manner. We will power this facility with combined internal hydroelectric generation and solar charged lithium battery banks. This tech will allow us to produce high value agricultural food products while achieving a net zero carbon footprint. 

EuroAquaponics is committed to building a diverse, inclusive and equitable team and vision. We celebrate equal opportunity and equal access and commit to eliminate systemic barriers for underrepresented individuals not only in our industry but beyond. 

Our project will create a new supply of salmon and vanilla bean in Europe that's grown locally through an innovative form of resilient agriculture. These products will be sold to the consumer through local supply chains and eventually exported to other countries as we scale up. 

We will be selling organic, heavy metal free, premium salmon and vanilla bean produced from our facility to consumers through existing markets. 

According to a study by Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Portugal has the third highest seafood consumption per capita in the world. Currently, the country imports 100% of its salmon. This provides us with a unique opportunity to create local salmon production through our facility and as we scale up we'll be able to export to other countries. Current salmon supply sometimes contains concerning levels of heavy metals, this would be eliminated when working with an indoor close loop system like ours. Vanilla bean is also widely consumed throughout the EU and we'd be the first company to locally grow vanilla sustainably through Aquaponics. 

We will partner with our local fish suppliers and distributors as well as large supermarket chains to sell and distribute our salmon and vanilla bean. We will partner with our local university to conduct research to highlight how our systems fight climate change. We will also partner with local farmers that will supply the feed stock for our salmon and our local government and municipality to share what our systems can achieve with other municipalities in our region. 

We will raise salmon and grow vanilla bean with a net zero carbon footprint in our unique food production facility in Portugal. According to recent data, salmon is the sixth most consumed seafood product in Portugal, with a yearly consumption of over 16.000 tonnes. Currently, the country imports 100% of its salmon. In our Aqua Root recirculating aquaculture system we'd be creating a new supply of Portugal raised salmon as well as locally grown vanilla bean. 

The global Aquaponics market is valued at USD 769.44 Million in 2022 and is projected to reach a value of USD 1905.11 Million by 2030. We have not yet applied for funding for this new large facility but we know that there is a huge need and interest in technologies that promote resilient agriculture.