Project Summary
Countries: São Tomé & Príncipe
Delivery Partner: Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestão
Project Partners: Instituto Superior de Agronomia, ONG MARAPA , Faculdade de Ciencias e Tecnologia da Universidade de São Tomé e Príncipe, Direção das Pescas e Aquacultura (DPA)
Principal Investigator: Idalina Dias Sardinha, Invited Associate Professor at ISEG and Senior Researcher at ISEG Research, Universidade de Lisboa, specialising in Sustainability Science.
Challenge
This SISTA project addresses the critical nexus of poverty, climate vulnerability, and biodiversity loss in São Tomé and Príncipe by establishing a sustainable, community-driven aquaponics model. Our innovative approach will develop a climate-resilient pilot system using local materials, integrating tilapia with the native freshwater prawn to enhance biodiversity. A key element is the creation of an eco-efficient, closed-loop system based on principles of circular economy, by producing sustainable fish feed from local agricultural waste, thereby overcoming a major cost driver for aquaponics in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and minimizing environmental impact.
Therefore, SISTA employs a transdisciplinary methodology, structured in three phases: 1) Co-design and Pilot Implementation, 2) Vocational Training and Capacity Building, and 3) Scaling and Enterprise Development.
The project’s transformative change is anchored in identifying and establishing the essential technical, socio-economic and institutional enablers of aquaponics, such as inclusive governance and sustainable business models, that ensure long-term community ownership of 10–15 community-managed units.
This foundation empowers vulnerable groups, especially women and youth, through a comprehensive vocational training program, fostering local entrepreneurship and livelihoods. By scaling this proven model to 10–15 community-managed units, SISTA will directly enhance food security, increase incomes, and build climate resilience. Co-created with local partners, the project delivers a scalable blueprint for sustainable food production that ensures long-term impact and serves as a model for other SIDS.
More on the project will be added soon.
In the meantime, explore our Projects page to discover the diverse portfolio of initiatives GCBC is supporting around the world, and see where our research is making an impact.
