Page 36 - Aquauclature Research and Studies (01)

AQUAUCLATURE
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Research and Studies 1 (1): 15-01, 2026 page of 193

Egypt's Vision 2030 for sustainable aquaculture and climate resilience. The
technology offers a scalable model not only for Egypt but for arid regions
across the Mediterranean.
2. The HortiMED Approach and Validated Outcomes
The HortiMED system creates a synergistic, closed-loop ecosystem by inte-
grating three core components:
• Aquaculture: Fish species such as tilapia, mullets, and crayfish.
• Hydroponics: Crop cultivation including lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, and
cucumbers.
• Extractive Species: Organisms like mussels and silver carp that uptake ex-
cess nutrients.
This IMTA system is optimized by an AI-driven DSS that uses real-time data
from IoT sensors to monitor and manage the environment, maximizing effi-
ciency and productivity. The integration of solar power is a key feature for
energy sustainability (Ibáñez Otazua, et al., 2022, Goda et al., 2024 a,b;
2025a,b).
The results from pilot implementations in Egypt (low-tech), Algeria (me-
dium-tech), and Spain (high-tech) demonstrate significant multi-faceted ben-
efits:
• Environmental Performance:
• Water Efficiency: 90% reduction in water use compared to conventional
agriculture through closed-loop recirculation.
• Nutrient Management: 70% of nutrients are recycled within the system,
minimizing fertilizer dependency and meeting EU organic standards.
• Carbon Footprint: Solar integration reduces CO₂ emissions by 80%.
• Energy Savings: Hybrid solar-grid systems cut energy costs to
$0.003/kWh, compared to $0.029/kWh for grid-only power.
• Economic and Productivity Gains:
• Increased Yield: Biomass production increased by 57%, with systems
outperforming traditional soil-based culture by 1,554 kg per cycle.
• Profitability: A strong 47% Return on Equity (ROE) is achieved through
dual income streams from fish and high-value crops.
• Cost Reduction: Energy costs are cut by 50%.