ColombiaCONNECT – Project No. 1

 

Participatory aquaponics in the fishing communities of Urabá Colombia: a path towards gender equality and ecological and socioeconomic sustainability

 

At CEMarin we are currently working in the Urabá region, one of the areas most affected by the armed conflict in Colombia, in conjunction with the Universidad de Antioquia, the Municipality of Turbo, SENA and researchers from the Universidad de los Andes and the Justus Liebig University Giessen. This project, in the municipality of Turbo, has the purpose of implementing two systems of sustainable aquaponics (combination of aquaculture with vegetables grown in water), using native species, as follows:

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Aquaponics training system for marginalized groups to be established at the Marine Sciences Campus of the University of Antioquia in Tulenapa.

Best practices in aquaponics system for regional species operated by fisherwomen and/or fishermen’s wives at their local school near Turbo.

The project has three main components

Participatory and culturally respectful training, socioeconomic empowerment and monitoring. Once trained, the municipality of Turbo and the SENA will continue to monitor and assist the fishing communities for at least three years.

Implementation of aquaponics systems that, after 12 months, must be environmentally, financially and socially self-sustaining. The municipality of Turbo will ensure the supply of water and energy for the systems and, after the first year of operation, will provide the funds for an additional system that will also be located in a school in a second fishing community.

Two activities have been planned in this component. The first is a market study and a business plan to evaluate and guarantee financial sustainability, taking into account that the municipality of Turbo will ensure the purchasing of all production for the School Food Program. The second is an economic valuation of the ecosystem services provided by the project and/or preserved as a result of its implementation.

This project aims to help implement the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in the region. In particular, to contribute to reducing poverty (SDG 1), achieving food security, improving nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture (SDG 2), achieving gender equality and empowering women (SDG 5), and ensuring sustainable production patterns and the efficient and sustainable use of aquatic and terrestrial resources (SDG 12 & 14, Fair Trade).