S09 - Session O4 - WASABI: A Platform of WAlloon innovative Systems for urban Agriculture and BIodiversity

Authors: Haissam Jijakli *

The future of farming, including intensive animal protein production, to meet urban demand is challenged by climate change and biodiversity decline. Resource limitations including the decrease of arable surfaces and fertilizer resources (mainly N and P), constrained freshwater supplies, will also add to these challenges. This alerts researchers to the necessity to compensate existing sustainability deficits in agricultural food systems. Urban agriculture will contribute to meet these challenges. In this context, innovative systems to produce plants, fish and insects are developed and studied with the aim of preserving natural resources, restoring biodiversity and adopting a healthier diet. These activities take place within WASABI, the WAllonne platform for Innovative Systems in Agriculture and Urban Biodiversity. On more than 5 hectares, it is possible to get acquainted with new forms of urban and peri-urban agriculture: open ground market gardening, permaculture mounds, rooftop greenhouses, vertical farms, crops in container, aquaponics,... Tools at the service of biodiversity (directed wasteland, vegetated structures reproducing natural ecosystems, etc.) are also implemented. Unique throughout Europe, WASABI will be completed with a rain garden. WASABI systems will be presented, focusing on urban and periurban agriculture. Two indoor hydroponic systems were also acquired to study the production of canabidiol from hemp and eugenol from Euphorbia. The analysis of parameters impacting catabolism of both phytomolecules will be briefly presented. Two aquaponic systems were also developed. The PAFF BOX (Plant and Fish farming in a container) is a closed loop system while the SAPRISITI is a decoupled system. Advantages and disadvantages of both systems will be presented as well as recent more fundamental results such as nutritional roles of aquaponics microbiota, recycling of fish sludge's digestion and modelling of aquaponic systems. Other examples of innovative systems will be presented in order to give an overview of agricultural systems adapted to urban environment.