Workshop at the 3. Water Research Horizon Conference (Berlin) // Water Food Energy Nexus <<-->> blue aquaculture as an integrative part to minimize use of resources (water, nutrients, energy) for animal and plant production

Aquaculture is the fastest growing agriculture sector meeting the increasing needs of the rapidly expanding global population for high quality animal proteins. Currently, worldwide production is focused on freshwater aquaculture of fish and is consequently competing for limited freshwater resources. Hence, particularly in the light of future development, aquaculture production is limited in land available for agricultural production and global freshwater reserves. The necessity towards minimizing resources (water, nutrient, energy) meeting sustainability is referred to as "blue aquaculture" and requires urgently the introduction of new recently developed integrative concepts to achieve a sustainable connection of the water-food-energy nexus.

Target groups

Stakeholders concerning water/waste water management, power plants (conventional and alternative production), agriculturists (focus on integrated aquaculture), bioeconomists, ecosystem modelling, etc.

Workshop responsibles

Rutschmann/N.N./Kloas

Workshop outline

Three initiating talks with main focus on water, food (aquaculture as integrated part), and energy, respectively. Building working groups consisting of different expertises to rule out the possibilities and limitations of integrating water-food-energy nexus towards sustainability.

Main-goal and objectives

Bringing together people with different expertises to discuss and evaluate the potentials and limitations for integrative sustainable management of water-food-energy nexus. One objective should be to initiate a manuscript for a theoretical conception paper by all participants and secondly trying to evaluate the potential for a concept of joint research and cooperation among participants.