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Through integrated small-scale food production we can create a better lifestyle and contribute to help increase Sweden's self-sufficiency
Welcome to Aqualibrium Solutions!
We're a small-scale food producer that cares about the environment. We use sustainable and innovative farming methods using three key criterias: carbon sink, recirculating and regenerative, through our BIOASIS cultivation metghod.
During the summer and fall, we offer fun experiences for locals and tourists by offering meals made with local produce and even tropical foods grown right here in Sweden! We also have cooking classes and visits to other local farms.
Our goal is to show you how to enjoy food while being kind to the planet. In addition to farming, we also help design better ways to grow food. We use science and engineering to make food cultivation that are climate-smart. We also offer courses on topics like sustainable food production and crisis preparedness. Join us to learn and make a difference!
Challenges
The United Nations says that everyone is affected by global warming. Climate change is damaging the land and making it harder for the earth to hold onto carbon.
The World Food Program reports that over 345 million people are uncertain if they will have enough food, already a million people are at risk of starvation and that 1.1 billion people lack access to water, and a total of 2.7 billion experience water scarcity for at least one month each year.
It's a dangerous situation when all three of these problems, climate, water and food, occur simultaneously. This is a significant challenge for our generation to address.
Aquaculture is crucial for providing food to more people around the world. It produces over half of all the fish and other aquatic animals we eat. According to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), aquaculture plays a key role in ensuring we have enough food and nutrition. It helps bridge the gap between the food we need and what we have. Additionally, aquaculture creates more jobs and opportunities for people worldwide by enabling the farming of fish and other aquatic animals in various locations.
But is aquaculture really good for the climate?
The Global Seafood Alliance is an organization working to ensure that seafood harvesting and aquaculture are done responsibly. They state that each year, fishing and aquaculture activities release greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and other substances. For capture fisheries, it's approximately 216 to 270 million tons of greenhouse gases annually, and for aquaculture, it's about 212 to 220 million tons.
FAO predicts that we will produce more aquatic food by 2030, possibly up to 15% more.
It's important to find a balance between producing food sustainably and promoting equitable development. We need to support the growth of aquaculture while also taking care of our aquatic animals and preserving biodiversity.
The challenge lies in determining which aspects of aquaculture need to change, be replaced, or improved to become more environmentally friendly.
Inspiration
Biochar-integrated land-based aquaculture is a new and clever solution for producing food and managing our water resources sustainably.
Biochar is a type of charcoal made from plants and is used to filter and improve water quality. It is created by carbonizing plants without oxygen and is beneficial for the environment because it can sequester carbon dioxide and enrich the soil.
Researchers have found that biochar can be incredibly useful for purifying polluted water, enhancing soil quality, and reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the air. It's a fantastic solution for combating climate change and helping to address our climate, water, and food crises.
At Aqualibrium Solutions, we're exploring and incorporating biochar into our aquaculture method to make it even more environmentally friendly and sustainable. We believe this is the future of food production and water management, and we're excited to be one of the pioneers in these sustainable and circular solutions.
Biochar in Sweden
Interest in biochar is growing in Sweden as it is being used more and more in various areas. It's used for purifying water, as an additive in cement, and even in hygiene products to remove toxins. People are becoming increasingly interested in biochar because it can contribute to a more environmentally friendly and sustainable society. It can generate energy, aid in agriculture, and reduce climate impact by sequestering carbon dioxide from the air.
Biochar from Spetsamåla Gård - The Biochar Farm
Spetsamåla Gård and The Biochar Farm are located in Holmsjö municipality in Blekinge. They focus on creating various sustainable products, including biochar and charcoal for grilling. They have a special furnace for producing this charcoal, which they have developed themselves. The farm is also investing in building a small-scale factory for biochar production.
In addition to charcoal production, they engage in berry cultivation, primarily sea buckthorn, and make delicious products like jam and marmalade from them. They are also involved in forestry, nature tourism, beekeeping, and nature conservation services for the Kalmar County Administrative Board.
Spetsamåla Gård's interest in biochar started with their environmentally friendly charcoal facility for high-quality grilling charcoal. They use wood from their own forest, which is PEFC-certified (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes), indicating that they use wood from sustainably managed forests. After ten years of work, the owners, Carina and Leif Larsén, plan to build a small-scale biochar production factory. They will upgrade their prototype furnace, called Aurora, to make it even better at sequestering carbon dioxide. This facility is partially funded by the Next Generation EU and the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency through the Climate Step program.
