Abstract
The first commercial aquaponics companies are starting up in Europe. The main focus has been on solving technology issues and optimizing production. However, increasing attention is now being paid to certification and regulations linked to aquaponics, as well as the marketing of products and services. The paper presents the results of a study whose main aim was to estimate consumers’ knowledge about aquaponics and their acceptance of aquaponics products in different European regions. An on-line questionnaire was administered to the general public through the aquaponics network of Food and Agriculture COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) Action FA1305 “The EU Aquaponics Hub—Realising Sustainable Integrated Fish and Vegetable Production for the EU” in 16 European countries. The methodology includes univariate and multivariate statistical techniques. The results show that, on average, attitudes towards aquaponics were positive, showing no significant differences between those who already knew about aquaponics and those who only heard about it through the survey. More than 50% of respondents had never heard of aquaponics, whilst more than 70% had already heard of hydroponics. No more than 17% of respondents were willing to pay more for aquaponically produced products and no more than 40% more when compared to the price of products from conventional farming. The results confirm three different clusters of potential consumers of aquaponics products. They also suggest an urgent need for implementing integrated and holistic approaches involving all stakeholders in aquaponics, in order to define a marketing plan and efficient communication strategies. This COST action, other projects and public decision makers must invest in educating consumers about aquaponics through the organization of guided tours, thematic workshops and tastings of aquaponics products in order to raise their awareness about this new technology. It is absolutely urgent that public decision makers, in cooperation with aquaponics stakeholders, address the main institutional constraints, namely the introduction of aquaponics as an economic activity and the organic certification of aquaponics products.
Highlights
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has emphasized aquaponics as a future sustainable food production practice and has recently released guidelines on small scale aquaponics production systems [1]
The results confirm three different clusters of potential consumers of aquaponics products. They suggest an urgent need for implementing integrated and holistic approaches involving all stakeholders in aquaponics, in order to define a marketing plan and efficient communication strategies. This COST action, other projects and public decision makers must invest in educating consumers about aquaponics through the organization of guided tours, thematic workshops and tastings of aquaponics products in order to raise their awareness about this new technology
Results from Mauracher et al [29] about consumer preferences regarding the introduction of new organic products suggest that, while organic aquaculture might be a new and important strategy for diversification, if suitable communication, either from a public policy or commercial perspective, and labelling/certification are not taken into consideration, the added value of the production method might not be perceived by the final consumers
Summary
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has emphasized aquaponics as a future sustainable food production practice and has recently released guidelines on small scale aquaponics production systems [1]. In Europe, many start-up companies are taking the first steps towards commercial aquaponics production [2]. To analyse the current situation of aquaponics and highlight the main restrictions of the present activity in European countries in order to alert public decision makers of the need to analyse and solve the main problems of this sector better. To analyse consumers’ knowledge about aquaponics and their acceptance of aquaponics products in different European regions in order better to define a marketing strategy and a plan of development to overcome the actual difficulties that directly affect producers, commercialization and the sector in general
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