The FrontAg Nexus initiative stands for research into innovative and sustainable agriculture, which is based on the principles of the WEFE Nexus (Water, Energy, Food, and Ecosystems) and specifically addresses the challenges in the arid Mediterranean regions.
The title FrontAG Nexus stands for “Impact of Climate-Smart and Water-Saving Frontier Agriculture on the WEFE Nexus in Arid Mediterranean Regions”. At a time when climate change, resource scarcity, dwindling agricultural land and food insecurity are becoming increasingly pressing problems, the project aims to establish future-oriented and water-saving technologies that consistently rely on a circular economy.
Kickoff at Istanbul in 2023
The research project was initiated with a kickoff meeting from June 1st to 3rd, 2023 at the Hotel Armada in Istanbul. The venue, located on the edge of the historic old town, offered an inspiring view of the city's great mosques and created a perfect backdrop for the launch of a project that combines the traditions of agriculture with innovative technology.
The project
With research partners from Italy, Turkey, Israel, Tunisia, Morocco and Jordan, among others, FrontAg Nexus aims to realize 10 Frontier Agriculture demonstrators in which local farmers and other users can learn to build and apply the new techniques with locally available materials . During the three-year project period, the 10 demonstrators will be realized, along with the corresponding further training opportunities (trainers, materials, etc.) and all infrastructure for further training will be created.
Demonstrators and used technologies
Demonstrators will be set up at locations in the participating countries. which illustrative examples and learning locations are at the same time and knowledge about the respective procedure used is conveyed. The procedures are essentially as follows:
The Hydroponics As a soilless cultivation method, hydroponics is suitable in many different forms for almost all conceivable plants. These systems are all examples of closed-circuit technologies and efficient water use with the highest yields.
Aquaponics combines fish culture with hydroponics in a closed cycle as a sustainable farming method. The waste from the fish serves as a source of nutrients for the plants, while the plants purify the water. This system requires minimal water usage while avoiding synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.
Insect rearing is becoming increasingly important as an alternative protein source. Protein, vitamin and mineral-rich insect cultures such as black soldier fly or crickets are used, which are essentially used for further processing into fish feed.
Vermiculture uses worms to convert organic waste into nutrient-rich compost. This environmentally friendly method offers efficient waste utilization and produces high-quality organic fertilizer with the worm tea.
Agriphotovoltaics combines agricultural production with the generation of solar energy. Solar panels are installed over agricultural land, generating renewable energy while providing shade and helping to recycle water.
The partners involved
The FrontAg Nexus project is realized through the collaboration of many partners. These include the University of the Bundeswehr Munich, which coordinates the project in the person of Gertrud Buchenrieder and Wubneshe Biru and which leads various work packages. Other partners in the project are:
– Ben Gurion University Israel (BGU)
– University of Bologna, Italien (UniBo)
– National Agricultural Research Center in Jordan (NARC)
– Mohammed VI Polytechnical University, Marokko
– ElBosten Phytagri, Tunesien
– EUROSOLAR, renewable energies, and the Bodrum city administration in Turkey.
– Foodscale Hub, Novi Sad, Serbia
Our role in the project
The task of aquaponik manufaktur GmbH (APM) in the FrontAg Nexus project, specializing in the planning and implementation of demonstrator systems in collaboration with local partners. As always, the focus is on aquaponics, although the demonstrator systems can be very different. Knowledge of the technical basics as well as system operation and maintenance is also imparted by the APM in order to ensure long-term, smooth operation of the demonstrator systems and to create a good basis for passing on knowledge.
Evidence-based knowledge and policy recommendations
The research and analysis of the demonstration cases are intended to create evidence-based knowledge and identify best practices. The lessons learned will inform policy recommendations for the expansion of border agriculture in the region. The aim is to promote sustainable agriculture and support the water-energy-food ecosystems (WEFE) nexus approach.
Official project website address: https://frontagnexus.eu/
This project (GA n° [2242]) is part of the PRIMA programme supported by the European Union.
