Water-smart farming in a desert nation: The HydroHarvest story
Abdullah Elfandi, the founder of HydroHarvest, is paving the way for sustainable agriculture in Libya through aquaponics – a farming method that combines growing crops in water with fish farming. His goal is to help solve Libya’s food security challenges by using far less water than traditional farming and relying solely on organic, chemical-free production. With critical support from the EU-funded Libya Startup programme, implemented by SPARK and Super Novae, Abdullah was able to take his idea from concept to reality, overcoming significant technical and logistical challenges along the way.
In a country where over 95% of the land is desert and water resources are dwindling, farming has never been easy. According to the United Nations, Libya was ranked the sixth most water-stressed country in the world in 2020 – a situation expected to worsen by 2040. As a result, the agricultural sector makes up just a small share of Libya’s economy, which has long relied heavily on oil revenues and public sector jobs.
For Abdullah, who had been working in the agricultural market, these obstacles were personal. “I’ve experienced the challenges farmers face in Libya,” he explained. In 2023, a visit to Egypt changed everything. There, he encountered aquaponic systems being used successfully. Inspired, he returned with the ambition to replicate the same model back home.
Starting HydroHarvest wasn’t simple. Aquaponics is still largely unknown in Libya, and there were no local experts to consult. “The weight was all on us,” he said, recalling the early days. With limited resources, Abdullah began researching online and building connections outside Libya. He conducted a feasibility study and imported all the required equipment from abroad. “It wasn’t easy. We made mistakes and learnt every day,” he said. Eventually, HydroHarvest launched operation and began producing vegetables and fish using minimal water and zero chemicals.
The innovative system works in a closed loop. Once 400,000 litres of water are added to the tanks, very little is lost to evaporation. Nutrients from the fish waste fertilise the plants, and in return, the crops help clean the water. In two years of operation, HydroHarvest has produced over 3,000 kg of vegetables including lettuce, mint, basil, arugula and kale, alongside 1,000 to 1,500 kg of fish.
But for Abdullah, this was just the beginning. In 2024, HydroHarvest was selected to join the Libya Startup programme through the Tripoli-based Innovation Garden, one of four incubators set up across the country. The programme gave Abdullah the business training and strategic insight he needed to formalise his operations and think long-term. “We didn’t know the programme would help us this much,” he said. “They helped us develop long-term strategies and connect with investors and agricultural experts in Libya.”
HydroHarvest later entered the programme’s accelerator phase and was awarded €20,000 in seed funding. The investment enabled Abdullah to build two additional greenhouses, this time focusing on aquaculture. “We started growing Azolla instead of vegetables,” he said, referring to the nitrogen-rich aquatic plant used as livestock feed. “It fits perfectly with our sustainability goals. The fish farms produce nitrogen, which feeds the Azolla, and then we feed it back to the fish.”
With sustainability at the core of its operations, HydroHarvest aims to scale up in the coming years. The team – currently made up of Abdullah and two workers – plans to expand its reach along Libya’s northern coast and increase the range of products to include strawberries, cucumbers, and bell peppers. “We want to become pioneers in aquaponics in Libya,” he said.
By connecting MSMEs with the tools and support they need to grow, the Libya Startup programme is helping drive inclusive economic development and employment, aligned with SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. SPARK’s role in supporting small businesses like HydroHarvest highlights the power of entrepreneurship in building resilience and prosperity in fragile economies.
With a solid foundation and a clear vision, Abdullah and his team are set to play a leading role in transforming Libya’s agriculture sector — proving that with the right support, innovation can thrive even in the most challenging environments.
