Agroecology principles in aquaculture: a case study of East Africa

Abstract

Agroecology in East Africa is gaining momentum due to its potential benefits for food security, the environment, and climate, supported by research, policy, and economic drivers; meanwhile, Integrated Aqua-Agriculture, as one of the promising practices for agroecological transition, confronts challenges like infrastructure and expertise hurdles. The PrAEctiCe project addresses these by unveiling three distinct "Living Labs" in East Africa. In Kisumu (Kenya), the lab focuses on the synergy between aquaculture and intercropping, utilizing aquaculture wastewater for irrigation and converting aquaculture sludge into fertilizer. The Kajjansi (Uganda) lab delves into aquaponics, experimenting with varying combinations of fish and vegetables to optimize water, energy, and nutrient dynamics. In contrast, the Morogoro (Tanzania) lab integrates fish and poultry systems, utilizing fishpond wastewater for vegetable irrigation and combining aquaculture sludge with poultry manure to enrich the soil. Living Labs are designed following general agroecological principles adopted for aquaculture. By providing tangible demonstrations and fostering knowledge sharing, they contribute crucial data for the ongoing development of agroecology-tailored indicator framework for aquaculture and the decision support tool for smallholder farmers, with the goal of charting a promising agroecological path of African agriculture.