Aquaponics in Romania

Romania is at the 26th position as per the DESI index 2020 and its GVA for 2019 is 4.5% (% of the total GVA).[1]

The first Aquaponics publication in Romania was created in September 2015, being launched by the Research - Development Institute for the Valorization and Marketing of Horticultural Products - HORTING, inside the Aqua-Rom project, co-financed by a grant from the Swiss state through the Swiss Contribution for the enlarged European Union.

The scientific publication addresses and provides the support of specialized knowledge to all those who want to implement aquaponics systems in Romania. Also in this magazine you can find practical information on how to design, build and operate different aquaponics systems or what are the costs and benefits of such technology, but also answers to various questions.

Aquaponics is an innovative and sustainable food production technology that is an alternative to traditional food production technologies, in the context of increasing urbanization, diminishing water resources, global warming and reducing energy consumption. The implementation of aquaponics technology in Romania is at the beginning of the road.

At national level, in 2016 the Aqua-Rom project was initiated. Implementation of aquaponics technology to improve the health of the population coordinated by the University of Zurich in Switzerland. Transilvania Forestry College is a partner in the Erasmus + project, Aquaponics 2016-1-NL01- KA202-023006, coordinator being Wellantcollege from the Netherlands.

Aquaponics is a sustainable way to get local products, to get 10 times more food per square meter, to contribute to the process of biological filtration of water and conservation of aquatic resources.

As the products obtained from aquaponics systems have similar qualities to organic products, but are not yet accredited, the Hortig National Center will initiate actions to integrate aquaponics products within the marketing chain and public catering structures.

In Romania, this system of producing organic food has been adopted by a small number of people. An example is the NGO Snagov Foundation, which initiated such a pilot project to see how effective an aquaponic system is.

[1] https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/food-farming-fisheries/farming/documents/agri-statistical-factsheet-ro_en.pdf - last accessed October 10th 2020