The Interdisciplinary Center for Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR) at the University of Porto is leading a project that aims to develop, test and demonstrate “innovative and sustainable” aquaculture production systems in six African countries.
A statement from the University of Porto center on Wednesday explained that the project, called INNOECOFOOD, funded through the Horizonte Europa program, began in January.
The project, which involves 21 partners, aims to install production units in four “ECOHUBS” and implement monitoring in six local aquaculture farms (“Living Labs”).
Both will use digital technology to “jump start new businesses” and train farmers and aquaculturists, youth and women in African countries.
The goal is that through these ECOHUBS, 120 youth, 120 women and about 5 thousand workers can be trained at the local level.
The project “aims to develop sustainable agroecological food production systems that at the same time provide socio-economic benefits to producers and local communities in both Africa and Europe,” the center emphasizes.
“These units will locally produce and process aquaculture fish, spirulina (microalgae) and insects to ensure a sustainable and responsible supply of safe and quality food and feed,” said researcher Antonio Marques, quoted in the statement.
According to the researcher, recycling of local resources will be achieved “through innovative cooling and drying systems, renewable energy, by-product and water recycling within ECOHUBS.”
“The project will open new pathways that will enable local communities to create value through the sustainable development of healthy food and aquafeed,” CIIMAR emphasizes.
The use of digital technologies such as artificial intelligence and IoT (Internet of Things) will serve to develop “intelligent control and regulation systems to monitor the performance of ECOHUBS.”
“This type of technology will be selected and installed in four ECOHUBS using sensors to collect real-time data and will play the role of monitoring and controlling fish, spirulina and insect production, as well as controlling processing equipment,” he adds. .
The project involves 17 research institutes and four European companies (Portugal, UK, Germany, Belgium and Turkey), as well as African companies (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Namibia, Ghana and Egypt).
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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