INAPRO- Innovative Aquaponics for Professional Application

INAPRO is an EU-funded project focussing on aquaponics, a sustainable food production technology that couples fish production and soilless vegetables production in one system. The project develops production scaled INAPRO aquaponic facilities to demonstrate resource efficient solutions in different geographical and climate conditions. It disseminates the INAPRO idea to achieve market success for this innovative technology, thus contributing remarkably to the 21st century's global food security.

The INAPRO aquaponic system is based on the ASTAF-PRO technology developed at the IGB which enhanced conventional single recirculation aquaponic systems by separating the fish and the plant recirculation unit. The major advantage of such a connected double recirculation aquaponic is the fact that in both units optimum conditions can be set up independently for the optimal production of both the fish and the plants.

The computer-model based INAPRO Aquaponic concept features a nearly emission free sustainable food production. It allows the combined use of water, nutrients, energy and area to produce fish and plants. The treated nutrient-rich wastewater of fish farming serves as a nutrient source for the cultured plants. The evaporated water in the greenhouse is regained via cooling traps and is returned into the fish tank. The CO2 exhaled by the fish is absorbed by the plants to produce O2.

Environmentally friendly INAPRO aquaponic facilities operate in Spain, Germany, Belgium and China to demonstrate both the technical and the economic feasibility of the system. Thus INAPRO opens new market opportunities for constructors and operators of aquaponics systems within and outside of Europe.

The latest news on INAPRO can be found on Facebook and Twitter as well as in the news section of the INAPRO homepage where you can also subscribe to our newsletter.