Economic Sustainability of Small-Scale Aquaponic Systems for Food Self-Production
1
Urban Greening and Biosystems Engineering Research Group, Dpto. Ciencias Agroforestales, Universidad de Sevilla, ETSIA, Ctra. Utrera km.1, 41013 Seville, Spain
2
Área de Economía, Sociología y Política Agraria, Escuela Politécnica Superior de Ingeniería, Avenida Ángel Guimerá Jorge s/n, Universidad de La laguna (ULL), 38200 San Cristóbal de La Laguna (Tenerife), Spain
3
Urban Greening and Biosystems Engineering Research Group, Area of Agro-Forestry Engineering, Universidad de Sevilla, ETSIA, Ctra. Utrera km.1, 41013 Seville, Spain
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Agronomy 2020, 10(10), 1468; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10101468
Received: 20 August 2020 / Revised: 21 September 2020 / Accepted: 23 September 2020 / Published: 25 September 2020
Aquaponics involves the simultaneous production of plants and fish and it is increasingly being used with a self-consumption purpose. However, there are uncertainties and little information about the economic sustainability of small-scale self-managed aquaponic systems. The objective of this study was to obtain economic information about these systems, including the level of commoditization of food production as a measure of their autonomy. For this purpose, two small-scale aquaponic systems (SAS) based on FAO models were self-constructed using cheap and easy-to-obtain materials and monitored for a year. A total of 62 kg of tilapia and 352 kg of 22 different vegetables and fruits were produced, with an average net agricultural added value of 151.3 €. Results showed positive accounting profit but negative economic profit when labor costs were included. The degree of commoditization was around 44%, which allows a certain autonomy, thanks to the use of family labor force.
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Keywords:
polyculture; aquaculture; hydroponics; degree of commoditization; autonomy
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MDPI and ACS Style
Lobillo-Eguíbar, J.; Fernández-Cabanás, V.M.; Bermejo, L.A.; Pérez-Urrestarazu, L. Economic Sustainability of Small-Scale Aquaponic Systems for Food Self-Production. Agronomy 2020, 10, 1468.
AMA Style
Lobillo-Eguíbar J, Fernández-Cabanás VM, Bermejo LA, Pérez-Urrestarazu L. Economic Sustainability of Small-Scale Aquaponic Systems for Food Self-Production. Agronomy. 2020; 10(10):1468.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLobillo-Eguíbar, José; Fernández-Cabanás, Víctor M.; Bermejo, Luis A.; Pérez-Urrestarazu, Luis. 2020. "Economic Sustainability of Small-Scale Aquaponic Systems for Food Self-Production" Agronomy 10, no. 10: 1468.
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