A Path Toward Gender Equality, Ecological and Socioeconomic Sustainability

How did it all begin?

In the heart of the Gulf of Urabá — a resilient region marked by years of conflict — a transformative idea began to take root: Participatory Aquaponics.

Driven by the inspiring leadership of Professor Jenny Leal and with the committed support of the Municipality of Turbo, SENA, researchers from the University of Antioquia, Universidad de los Andes, Justus Liebig University Giessen, and CEMarin, we set a collective dream in motion.

Together with local communities — especially women who are heads of household — we brought to life a process that integrates local knowledge and science to implement a system that combines fish farming with vegetable cultivation. This directly strengthens food security and diversifies income sources for these communities.

Our project now has the financial support of the Embassy of Canada to Colombia, strengthening its positive impact across three key dimensions:

Culturally respectful and participatory training, socioeconomic empowerment, and local monitoring.

Implementation of aquaponics systems that are environmentally, socially, and financially sustainable.

Market research and business planning, including an assessment of the economic value of ecosystem services impacted or preserved through the project.

Additionally, the project aims to support the implementation of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the region.

The support of the Embassy of Canada to Colombia has been key:

Since June 2025, we have had the valuable support of the Embassy to Canada of Colombia, which joined the project with the aim of promoting gender equality and empowering women in the territory. Thanks to this partnership, women actively participate in sustainable aquaponics processes, generating sustainable income for their households while caring for the environment.