ISEG – Lisbon School of Economics & Management is coordinating the new “Sustainable Aquaponics for Food Security and Community Empowerment in São Tomé and Príncipe” project, funded by the Global Centre on Biodiversity for Climate (GCBC), an Official Development Assistance programme funded by the UK Government.
The project is being carried out in collaboration with the Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA) at Universidade de Lisboa, MARAPA (Sea, Environment and Small-scale Fisheries), an NGO based in São Tomé and Príncipe, the School of Science and Technology at Universidade de São Tomé and Príncipe, and the Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture (DPA), which forms part of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development of São Tomé and Príncipe.
The research is led by Idalina Dias Sardinha, a professor at ISEG and a researcher in the field of Sustainability Science at ISEG Research .
With funding of £946,000 (around one million euros), and scheduled to run from July 2026 to June 2029, the project aims to develop a sustainable, community-based aquaponics model in São Tomé and Príncipe, helping to strengthen food security, promote livelihoods and increase the resilience of local communities to climate change.
The plan is to implement inclusive governance models and sustainable business models, ensuring community-led management of 10 to 15 aquaponics units. At the same time, the aim is to empower vulnerable groups, particularly women and young people, through vocational training and local entrepreneurship.
This project is one of 12 new projects funded by the GCBC through the Research Grant Competition – RGC3, which supports researchers, communities, policymakers and professionals in developing solutions that promote benefits for people, nature and the climate in vulnerable regions around the world.
Further information here
The GCBC is funded by the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs working in partnership with DAI as the Fund Manager Lead.
