A Libyan startup is venturing into aquaponics: With about 95% of its landcomprising desert, Libya’s lack of arable land and increased desertification has led the country to rank as the sixth most water-stressed country globally in 2020 with water scarcity projected to worsen by 2040, according to a report (pdf) by the UN. Born from an ambition to sustainably prop up food security, Abdullah Elfandi launched aquaponics farm HydroHarvest this year to sustainably grow vegetables and breed fish using minimal water and local resources.

Success in a short spell: HydroHarvest has been operating for about six months and has produced approximately 3k kg of vegetables including lettuces, arugula, mint, basil, and kale, Elfandi told EnterpriseAM Climate. The farm has also bred and produced nearly 1k to 1.5k kg of fish.

Reuse, repeat: "The organic fish sludge waste from our operations is used to fertilize the land-grown crops. We use no chemicals whatsoever — it's 100% organic, clean production," Elfandi told us. After filling the irrigation system with 400k liters of water, there’s barely a need to add more water due to minimal evaporation and absorption by the crops thanks to efficient water retention. This approach not only conserves water but also reduces plastic waste associated with traditional farming as it eliminates the waste from disposable packaging of pesticides and chemicals.

More to come: HydroHarvest expects to produce about five tons of tilapia fish annually and about 40 tons of vegetables once it reaches its optimal production rate, Elfandi said. The farm recently won a EUR 20k grant from the business incubator Innovation Garden, which will be funneled towards scaling up fish production.

REFRESHER- Aquaponics is a “closed-loop” farming technique that integrates soilless farming — hydroponics — and raising fish into a symbiotic farming method. In this system, fish waste is converted into nutrients for the plants, which in turn filter and purify the water, providing a healthier environment for the fish. The outcome is efficient water use and waste management and less dependence on chemical fertilizers compared to conventional farming.

Looking ahead: As the world faces a finite supply of oil and increasing resource scarcity, technologies like aquaponics will become indispensable for food production, Elfandi predicts. “You can't run an oil-based economy forever,” he said, “This leaves us with limited options … You either grow your crops hydroponically, aquaponically, or die from hunger and famine.”

The region is active in the aquaponics field: Bustan Aquaponics, founded in 2011, is Egypt’s first commercial aquaponics farm. The 3k sq meter farm provides 65 to 70 tons of pesticide-free vegetables and 25 tons of Nile tilapia fish per year. The UAE is home to aquaponics farms, including Garden Aquaponics, while Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture recently launched an initiative to attract potential investors for a 40k sq meter farm in Jubail.

Tags: