Beyond2020, UAE to open aquaponics facility in Peru

A humanitarian program in the United Arab Emirates called Beyond2020 is expanding in Latin America for the first time after launching a project that will train 2,000 people to operate the aquaponics system in the Yarinacocha district of Ucayali, Peru, which will help 5,000 food security of indigenous peoples while also helping to protect the biodiversity of the region.

The INMED Children’s Partnership was awarded the Beyond2020 contract to deploy its commercial aquaponics system, called the Aquaponics Social Enterprise Model Pedagógico Bilingüe, on the campus of the largest indigenous teacher training school in Peru, the Yarinacocha Bilingual Higher Education Institute (Instituto Superior) de Yarinacocha).

Simplify food production

The model combines fish farming and vegetable production in a closed system, allowing organic vegetables to grow 10 times faster than conventional food production, using 90% less water and 75% less energy. It is also capable of producing food year-round, independent of traditional production weather cycles. In this respect, it is particularly resilient to the shifts of climate change. Additionally, the Aquaponic Center is the first of its kind in the Peruvian Amazon and the first in the region to be powered entirely by solar energy.

Technical skills will also be taught to help develop the region’s workforce.

Commenting on the move, Mohamad Abdulla Ali Khater Alshamsi, UAE Ambassador to Peru, said: “The Beyond2020 project provides a sustainable , comprehensive solutions covering clean energy, food production and water resources.It provides long-term social and economic benefits by providing local communities with the skills and knowledge needed to further drive economic development by focusing on promoting knowledge exchange and training. “

The Aquaponic Center will arrive at an ideal time for the community. The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the problems the new center will address. For example, frequent school closures are detrimental to school feeding programs and generally exacerbate hunger in communities.