Brief History, Design Innovations, Sustainability, and the Future Prospects of Aquaponics: A Review

The rising demand for food due to the increasing population is one of the world's major issues. It is aggravated by the decreasing area for food production due to land conversion and the effects of climate change that threaten food security. Thus, alternative methods for producing more food efficiently and sustainably have been the focus recently. Aquaponics is a promising food production technology that combines fish and plants within a single system. Among the existing techniques, the recirculating aquaponics system, or RAS, is one of the most sophisticated land-based aquaculture production systems, integrating hydroponics to promote the reuse and recycling of nutrient-rich water while maintaining high-quality fish and plants. Aquaponics originated from traditional practices that utilized abundant natural resources. Modern developments have evolved from small, modular systems to medium- and large-scale, commercial designs, incorporating automation and the Internet of Things (IoT) to enhance efficiency and precision. This paper reviews the evolution of aquaponics, highlighting existing designs, innovations, and performance. Additionally, it explores future work in aquaponics aimed at improving profitability and sustainability.