Congratulation to Dr. Cagatay Catal and his team for securing a grant through Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council (QRDI) for food security call. 

The granted project is titled “Artificial Intelligence-Empowered Aquaponics: Empowering Food Security for a Sustainable Future”.

The Project team includes:

• Prof. Dr. Cagatay Catal (Lead PI) (Department of Computer Science & Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University)
• Prof. Dr. Nader Meskin (PI) (Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University)
• Prof. Dr. Ahmed Khalifa (PI) (Department of Finance and Economics, College of Business and Economics, Qatar University)
• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohammed Hussain S A Alsafran (PI) (Agriculture Research Station, Qatar University)
• Dr. Yamine Bouzembrak (PI) (Information Technology Group, Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands)
• Assoc. Prof. Dr. Turker Bodur (PI) (Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Akdeniz University, Türkiye)

Project Abstract: The objectives of this project are to advance the efficiency, scalability, and reliability of aquaponics systems through the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Computer Vision (CV), and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. The project aims to address key challenges in aquaponics, including fish health monitoring, plant disease detection, and environmental monitoring. The project team, in collaboration with Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands and Akdeniz University in Türkiye will develop Qatar’s first comprehensive research setup for aquaponics. This research setup will be deployed at the Agricultural Research Station of Qatar University. The expected outcomes of this project are two-fold. Firstly, it will result in the development of novel prediction models and innovative technologies that address the challenges in aquaponics. These models and technologies will contribute to enhanced fish health, optimized crop production, and improved overall system efficiency. Secondly, the project aims to empower sustainable food security by minimizing the environmental impact of agriculture. By reducing water usage, nutrient runoff, and pollution, AI-empowered aquaponics will offer a more sustainable alternative to traditional farming methods.

The QRDI and the Ministry of Municipality (MoM) have launched the Food Security Call to support research that aligns with Qatar’s National Food Security Strategy, fostering collaboration among experts to develop solutions for the country’s food supply challenges.