Title: A principle of symbiosis in sustainable development through aquaponics system and its aquaculture and hydroponics sub-systems

Authors: Göran Svensson; Carmen Padin

Addresses: Kristiania University College, Oslo, Norway ' Vigo University, Vigo, Spain

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to frame a company's principle of symbiosis in sustainable development towards cleaner and sustainable food production through an aquaponics system and its sub-systems of aquaculture and hydroponics. It is based on a case study and applies an inductive approach of data collection through interviews, observations and both internal as well as external sources of information. The insights reported indicate that cleaner and sustainable production processes are not a panacea, but food production processes can indeed become cleaner and truly sustainable, and thus not only ecologically friendly. This study provides industry insights into a principle of symbiosis between aquaculture and hydroponics sub-systems to establish a closed aquaponics system. It is based on recycling residual resources into spin-off resources. The approach has multiple implications for practice in the search not only for cleaner food production processes, but also sustainable ones in closed systems. Contributes to assessing and visualising the production processes needed to recycle residual resources continuously into spin-off resources within an iterative cycle.

Keywords: sustainable development; sustainability; cleaner production; aquaponics system; Scandinavia.

DOI: 10.1504/IJAITG.2021.121263

International Journal of Agriculture Innovation, Technology and Globalisation, 2021 Vol.2 No.3, pp.193 - 203

Received: 09 Jan 2020
Accepted: 30 Oct 2020
Published online: 03 Mar 2022 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article