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  • INNOWWIDE AQUASURE: Improving the resilience and sustainability of smallholder farmers

INNOWWIDE AQUASURE: Improving the resilience and sustainability of smallholder farmers

TODAY AQUACULTURE IS THE FASTEST GROWING FOOD PRODUCTION SYSTEM WORLDWIDE

  • Strong aquaculture is the fastest growing food production system

  • FAO foresees 33% increase of fish consumption by 2030 in CELAC

  • Affordable water filtration system for solid waste disposal

Aquaculture is currently the fastest growing food production system globally, complementing and even replacing traditional fisheries to fulfil the annual per capita fish demand that has increased ten times in the past 2 decades. FAO foresees 33% increase of fish consumption by 2030 in Latin America and Caribbean. The intensive production systems are challenged by environmental, economic and social concerns, and therefore it is essential that unsustainable practices are avoided.

Innovations in the sector are developed mainly for large producers and are barely implemented by small and medium producers due to their limited investment capacity, although they represent 96% of farmers worldwide. Therefore, by not having access to these innovations, they are less competitive in the market, more prone to economic losses due to extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change, and have greater difficulty in complying with environmental regulations.

In this context, Bioazul will co-develop together with ASTRUCEL, an association of 22 small and medium producers located in the La Cecilia village (Cauca Valley, Colombia), an affordable water filtration system for the removal of solid waste in the fish ponds, and tailor-made for inland small to medium sized rainbow trout farmers operating in open flow systems continuously.

AquaSure® system will be the result of the project which aims to demonstrate a small-scale proof of concept unit, and to finally deliver a system that solves the filtration needs of small-medium farmers.

AquaSure® system, based on Filtration Drums technology, has a modular designed to reduce the investment costs, to be adapted to the production capacity and to reduce operation and maintenance costs thanks to a self-adaptive mode. These features allow farmers to purchase AquaSure® system according to their investment capacity and production requirements. AquaSure® modular design also facilitates the system transport, especially for not well connected and difficult to reach locations, and its assembly on-site.

OBJECTIVES

 To open opportunities for Bioazul in international markets, focused in Colombian in a first stage, with the water filtration system AquaSure ®.

– To increase the conversion rate of feed to fish biomass by 10 %, and consequently farmers profitability and sustainability.

– To reduce aquaculture environmental impact by removing solid waste usually discharged to water bodies and reduce water usage by small-medium farmers.

– To support the growth of local economies and job creation in rural areas.

– To empower women as the main workers in post-harvest and processing activities, representing 60-80% of the workforce.

– To increase food security and availability of fish protein for human consumption.

consortium

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Status: Active

Financing program: INNOWWIDE

Contract nº: 822273

Duration: October 1, 2020 – March 31, 2021 (6 months)

Budget: 86.000€ (INNOWIDE Contribution : 60.000€)

Contact person: Antonia Lorenzo (alorenzo@bioazul.com)