Best practices in soilless farming, aquaponics and multitrophic systems

Want to know how to grow fish and vegetables in the same closed loop symbiotic and sustainable ecosystem? Learn about Aquaponics and master this technique!

Soilless farming can be a very sustainable productive alternative to conventional crop and fish farming.

Aquaponics is a very efficient and intensive production system to grow fish and vegetables.

Soilless farming requires small areas of land, low on resource intensity (water, energy and labor), no waste and no unusable by-products while delivering remarkably high quantity of fresh food. In recent years, new techniques have emerged making aquaponics more efficient providing even greater food safety.

Aquaponics is an excellent alternative to achieve food security and increase access to fresh, highly nutritional and pesticide free food, particularly in urban locations, where land and water are becoming expensive resources. With several learning levels, the course takes you from the most basic knowledge to the most advanced level, so that you acquire the skills to explore an aquaponics commercial unit, deal with the challenges and learn about the state-of-the-art technologies.

This first course will go through the basics and will teach you the most important principles of operating an aquaponic system, the biology, the equipment, the balance relationship between aquatic animals and plants, the main parameters, and the chemistry involved. We will also complement theoretical online training with hands-on practical sessions, so that you become able to start your own experimental system.

Recipients

This course is aimed at professionals in agriculture and aquaculture, landowners, academic or private researchers, entrepreneurs, teachers, students in the areas of biology, aquaculture and agronomy, aquarists and others interested in sustainable and innovative production of fresh food on a small or large scale.

Pre-Requisites

Trainees do not require relevant previous skills or academic qualifications. A device with a good connection to the Internet is required, technically allowing to attend videoconferences and watch online videos. This first course will be in English language.

Objectives 

By completing this course, you will have acquired the technical knowledge on:  

• principles of operation of an aquaponics system
• identification of the main equipment used in a closed loop aquaponics system 
• sizing a balanced aquaponics system (aquaculture / hydroponics components)
• fish and plant husbandry main principles  
• selection of species (pros and cons)
• main parameters to monitor and control
• maintenance and operation procedures
• production estimates.  

Theoretical online training will be complemented with practical hands-on sessions. 

Certification 

This training is delivered by the F4S Learning Academy and covers theory, new trends, all complemented with practical case(s) with onsite visit(s) and practical ativities. At the end, participants will receive a certificate of completion. 

F4S Learning Academy is the educational arm of F4S collaborative laboratory, CoLab, recognized from the Portuguese scientific-technological system, Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, FCT. 

Starting date

The online content and activities will start to become available on 29th March 2021. You may subscribe this course anytime now and start attending immediately after starting date!

Duration

The course is estimated to end 3 months after the starting date. The hourly time to be spent by each trainee depends on their pace of participation, and we estimate a total of about 25 hours for viewing content and participating in activities. Trainees should manage time accordingly, so that to keep pace with activities and not leave behind lessons and quizzes. The course ends after viewing the contents of all lessons, completing all quizzes, participating in synchronous sessions and participating in face-to-face practical sessions. Practical sessions in site will be later scheduled and are expected to occur in June 2021, subject to the lifting of sanitary restrictions imposed by the Portuguese Government.

VAT (IVA 23%) already included in the price.