Towards sustainable food productions in Morocco: Aquaponics

¹ BIOECOGEN Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences of Rabat, Mohammed V University, 4 Avenue Ibn Battouta B.P. 1014 RP, Rabat;
² Mathematical and Statistical Methods (Biometris), Wageningen University, P.O. Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands;
³ Water and Forests Department, National Hydrobiology and Fish-farming Center, Azrou 53100, Morocco;
⁴ Sciences and Technologies Faculty, Soultan Moulay Slimane University, Beni-Mellal, Morocco
⁵ Faculty of Science and Technics, University of Abdelmalek Essaadi, Ancienne Route de l’Aéroport, Km 10, Ziaten. BP : 416. Tangier – Morroco.

^* Corresponding author: haytam.rharrhour@um5r.ac.ma

Abstract

This article reviews the development potential of Aquaponics in Morocco, an emergent approach which integrates aquaculture with Hydroponics, whereby aquaculture effluent is used to fertilise plants in the hydroponic system. Aquaponics is the subject of an alternative solution to earth modern problems, linked to climate change, such as drought, soil degradation, food and water availabilities, negative impact of aquaculture on the environment, the use of chemicals and pharmaceuticals. This food production system has gained interest in the past five years, however, there is yet to be successful experiences or scientific publications in Morocco, although the economy of this country is based on two main sectors: agriculture and fisheries. The current paper was developed using a systematic, strategic and comprehensive literature review on peer reviewed publications on several themes, including aquaponics, aquaculture, hydroponics and horticulture, from 1960 to 2020. Over 59publications were reviewed and analysed. The review found that aquaponics has gained interest in the past five years, over 500 scientific articles have been published, since 2015, with the term “Aquaponics” as title, abstract or keyword, highlighting its many advantages and major drawbacks, but unfortunately none of these publications were of Moroccan origin, which consolidates the need for a review which will scale up the importance of this technique and its development potential in Morocco.