AQUAPONICS AND ITS RELATION TO SUSTENTAINABILITY

Abstract

Aquaponics originates from the combination of two production systems, aquaculture, and hydroponics. With the increase in population and the increase in consumption of food, the use of these systems becomes more and more efficient, by collaborating with food safety and reducing water consumption due to its reuse and also contributing to the environmental issue. Many places offer water scarcity, so this recirculation technique would be a way to minimize this problem. Within the system discovered nitrifying bacteria responsible for the nitrification process of metabolic waste and how plant roots filter the water, returning clean to the fish. When feeding on feed, they will produce excreta containing ammonia, which will be transformed by nitrifying bacteria into nitrite and then into nitrate, being absorbed by plant roots in a cycle. Solid waste generated in the system itself can be reused as fertilizer for gardening. The cultivation is done without agricultural inputs and, therefore, the production cost is low. With the use of these domestic systems, families obtain their own food (fish and vegetables) for their livelihood and can still earn a small income. In this way, it makes the system environmentally and socioeconomically sustainable. Aquaponics is related to several Sustainable Development Goals, such as Poverty Eradication, Zero Hunger Sustainable Agriculture, Quality Education, Drinking Water and Sanitation, and Sustainable Cities and Communities.