Smart aquaponics (SMARTAP project): small/medium farm economic improvement model, environmental sustainability, monitoring and simplified management of big data

Aquaponics (AP), the integrated multitrophic production of fish and plants in a semi-closed synergistic recirculation system, is one of the food production systems. Following the integrative connotation, the possible application scenarios and the wide technological variability that can be used, AP represents an atypical and complex food production system that allows to maximize the efficiency of use of resources and increase their circularity. Once the advantages and functionality of the system have been ascertained, however, it is necessary to evaluate the real applicability in real conditions within companies through the creation of smart systems. The SMARTAP project (founded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development) arises from the need of small/medium agricultural companies to address the problems related to agricultural practices that do not allow high production yields in small areas, the need to manage fertilizers and phytosanitary products when the company focus aims at producing high quality products and the need to maximize the efficiency of use of water and nutrients resources. The project activities involved the synergistic management of different species of fish and traditional and phytoalimurgical crops grown on different combined hydroponic systems (media-bed, floating system and vertical farming) at company scale. Furthermore, the evaluation of productivity and Internet of Things management to monitor the systems and the economic sustainability were considered. The project therefore proposes an operational model based on sustainability through the use of innovative agricultural practices; this to become profitable for small farms and eco-compatible both from the energy saving and environmental point of view following the circularity of the nutritional resources used. These practices could allow a significant renewal of the economy of small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises.