Driven by and belief that Egypt urgently needs to modernise its farming sector by creating solutions that contribute to water conservation, food security and the production of clean, healthy foods, Faris Farrag launched his business, Bustan Aquaponics. This eco-friendly alternative alleviates pressure on his country’s natural resources. Aquaponics is a system combining aquaculture and soilless growing. Plants are fed with the waste from aquatic animals. In turn, they purify the water, which then returns to the fish. Microbial organisms also provide the plants with nutrients, ensuring sustainable, high-quality and healthy vegetable production. The idea of using aquaponics was inspired by a worrying situation in Egypt. The country is suffering from food security and water scarcity issues. In response, Faris launched Bustan Aquaponics to reduce dependence on imported food without compromising scarce drinking water supplies. Using this technique, the start-up now produces several food products, which are sold on the Egyptian market, and has even become the country’s largest producer of certain products.

Since its launch, Bustan Aquaponics has experienced immediate success and the company’s customers include major restaurants and supermarkets as well as traditional markets. But that’s not all! Using no pesticides and 90% less water than conventional farming techniques, Bustan Aquaponics is also a hit with the public. More and more Egyptians are using the company’s home delivery service, attracted by the quality of the produce and Faris Farrag’s environmentally-friendly ethos.