It is generally admitted that the modern lifestyle does not include and reflect agriculture as one of the most popular occupations for young people. Hundreds of youngsters tend to succumb in the new trend or tendency of immigration from villages or rural areas in which they’ve been living to search new aspects of lifestyle in cities where they struggle to seize better job opportunities. This situation not only reduces the number of agricultural workers, but naturally also affects agricultural production negatively. On the other hand, it is proved that there is still high rate of unemployment among young people.
However, according to lots of scientific research, agricultural production will offer employment opportunities for a lot of young people in Europe and Turkey and will be one of the most significant dynamics for sustainable development. For this reason, Institute of Entrepreneurship Development with other partners from Europe and Turkey gathered their forces and ideas in the Erasmus+ project entitled “YEAH: Young Entrepreneurs in Aquaponics – High Five!”. The main goal of this project is to give young people a chance to become agricultural entrepreneurs in the aquaponics field so it is addressed to those innovative, entrepreneurial, young and dynamic farmers who are ready to act differently.
Specifically, “Aquaponic” term combines aquaculture (aqua) and hydroponic (ponic). It is an agriculture model which aims to reduce the environmental impact while increasing production. Aquaponic systems are symbiotic closed circuit systems that offer new opportunities, are commercially viable and stand out with their sustained high production capacity, especially in areas unfit for production.
Our project further aim includes the willing to make the young farmers in Europe and Turkey, firstly learn and then produce some plants which are used as raw materials for medical drugs such as daisy, adders-tongue, hibiscus, gentian, mint, and thymus by using Aquaponic systems. To manage this, they have also to learn how to use Aquaponic systems, in order to grow plants, that 20% of them are in danger of extinction in the near future. For this reason, in the frame of YEAH project trainings will be conducted for the better orientation and understanding of the participants.
Bonus information: Aquaponic systems provide high production with 98% less water usage compared to traditional production. With aquaponic system, the nutrients in the water are used by the plants, the water quality remains optimal.
Stay tuned for more project’s updates!
For further information, do not hesitate to visit YEAH project’s website. Click here!
