In Living Lab 3, a 30kWp PV system will autonomously power Integrated Aquaculture-Agriculture (IAA) facilities, considering socio-economic needs and robustness. Two 10x20m fishponds will be constructed and floating PV panels
in the ponds will increase electrical efficiency and reduce pond eutrophication. An integrated aquaculture-poultry system will use chicken manure as fish feed and irrigate the 1000m2 agricultural area of cash crops with nutrient-rich pond water. In addition, a biochar stove will produce biochar from agricultural waste, benefiting the environment and agriculture by reducing fertiliser use and improving soil fertility. Validation of PrAEctiCe DST will take place in Tanzania, integrating fish-poultry-vegetable production for food security and sustainability. Solar PV, satellite observation and sensor technology will improve agricultural efficiency and impact assessment, ensuring compliance with farm-to-fork principles and sustainable food systems. 

At Living Lab 2 in Kajjansi a PV system for semi-autonomous operation of Integrated Aquaculture-Agriculture (IAA) facilities will be developed, addressing socio-economic needs and barriers in East Africa. A circular water and nutrient
management system will be installed for aquaponic systems using different techniques, such as a combination of deep water culture and media bed as well as a NFT system. A low cost sensor system will help to focus on optimal water quality and nutrient balance. Validation of the PrAEctiCe Decision Support Tool (DST) will occur at the Aquaculture Research & Development Centre Kajjansi (ARDC, NARO), which will be adapted to Ugandan conditions and serve as a training centre. The living lab will experiment with various techniques, species, and materials to inform decision-making. By using fish tank effluent for vegetable growth and optimizing water-energy-nutrient resources, PrAEctiCe aims to address challenges in aquaponics adoption, including high water and energy bills. The installation of a 10 kW PV system with a 10 kWh battery and real-time water sensors will increase system resilience and efficiency of the system.

Living Lab 1 in Kisumu involves the construction and operation of two key systems: The construction of a membrane bioreactor (MBR) for domestic wastewater treatment and the design and installation of grow-out fishponds using the MBR permeate. For the construction of the MBR as much equipment as possible will be purchased locally. Local partners and students are involved in the whole process and will be trained. Various sensors will be installed to aid learning and feed the decision support tool. In addition, a photovoltaic (PV) system will semi-autonomously power the Integrated Aquaculture-Agriculture (IAA) facilities, addressing socio-economic needs and barriers in the East African region. The Living Lab also integrates organic fish feed production using Black Soldier Fly and vegetable intercropping with aquaculture, promoting land use efficiency and resilience to climate change. This holistic approach aims to overcome technological and socioeconomic barriers, enhancing food security and economic growth while complying with regulatory frameworks.

Agroecological farming approaches provide effective techniques to enhance food production while conserving the environment. In the context of increasing population and land size, producing food in soilless systems is a promising strategy for agricultural production since it utilizes less water than traditional agriculture. The limited expertise coupled with challenges related to changing customary practices undermine diffusion and adoption of this technology. Data and information about system design and environmental conditions to help local farmers to maximize production in their aquaponics operation is insufficient. In the PrAEctiCe, researchers are working on establishing modular aquaponic systems that efficiently balances the growth of plants and fish and efficiently enhance nutrient utilisation. To guide small-scale farmers, three different modular aquaponic systems are being established that will deploy media-based culture, nutrient film technique, and deep-water culture. The developed modular systems use low-tech installations, making them suitable for use in East African countries.

The PrAEctiCe Decision Support Tool is designed to help smallholder farmers in East Africa to effectively manage their farms and access advisory services through three end-user applications: indicator monitoring centre, advisory DST, and a mobile application. It will provide support to farmers and link them to advisors. A mobile application will provide farmers with monitoring and information gathering capacities. The application will capture farmers current practices, monitor the performance of the farms using predefined proxy indicators and satellite data for soil, water, and plants at farm level. In case of deviations from optimum measurements, the DST will provide warnings to the farmers with indications of the appropriate corrective actions and required budget. The agroecological advisors on the other hand will have a data-rich interface that allows them to monitor and manage multiple farms. An efficient alert system will keep them updated about potential issues detected by sensors, satellites, or farmers in each farm. The system will help farmers and advisors to address challenges as they emerge and smoothly and swiftly transition to agroecology.

Agroecology holds great potential to address food system challenges and enhance food security in East Africa. However, the region's unique complexities require tailored indicator frameworks adoptable by smallholder farmers who are the main food producers in the region. The existing agroecological frameworks also fall short in addressing key aspects, such as aquaculture and the circular water-energy-food system, leading to a lack of evidence on integrated  aqua-agriculture practices. The project evaluated various agroecological frameworks pertinent to East Africa, identifying nine promising candidates: SIAF, TAPE, Fivedimensional Presidia, IDEA, MESMIS, SOCLA, OASIS, SAFE, and SAFA. These frameworks underwent screening for applicability, practicality in data collection, socio-economic viability, and environmental sustainability, particularly in the East African context. These indicators will empower agroecology consultants and service providers to monitor the adoption of optimal agricultural methods, facilitating smallholder farmers in transitioning to agroecology.

Demand for animal protein in Africa is increasing. As agriculture is facing challenges of land scarcity and water shortage, it is important to support the agricultural sector with aquaculture. Aquaculture production in East Africa, has increased in recent years, responding to an increased demand for fish, however, the current production is still low and struggles with several challenges. The concept of integrated aqua-agriculture (IAA) increases water efficiency and reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers. Through integration of aquatic and terrestrial components, incorporating fish, crops, and livestock, waste from one element serves as nourishment for another. IAA holds the potential for elevated sustainability, profitability, productivity, and resource efficiency, harnessing the full potential of water, land, and labour. The PrAEctiCe project will provide guidance on how these IAA could operate more efficiently, helping local farmers diversify their food and income production.

A comprehensive analysis of agroecological practices in East Africa to facilitate accelerated transition was conducted. Mixed farming was the most practiced approach where multiple crop species and animal species/breeds are grown/reared concurrently to optimize land use and resources. Agroforestry, integrated pest management, soil and water conservation, integrated aquaculture-crop production etc. are being practiced. The documented practices are mostly traditional practices that are compliant with agroecology principles and elements. Advocacy for agroecology in East Africa has resulted into introduction of new practices such as permaculture, vermiculture. Major challenges include among others high labour intensity of existing practices, limited access to agroecology compliant inputs and knowledge, and limited access to markets that recognise the distinction between agroecology and conventionally produced farm products. Context-specific strategies for mobilising more stakeholders beyond farmers to address the challenges faced and enhance food security, farmer well-being, soil health and environmental conservation are necessary.

PrAEctiCe engaged stakeholders practicing agroecology to cocreate mechanisms for accelerating transition to agroecology at scale in East Africa. Stakeholders expressed that agroecology is not a completely new concept. Its novelty is in the integration into one concept, all the sustainable agriculture elements from indigenous and scientific knowledge. It is thus important to build upon the knowledge and practices deployed by stakeholders as a starting point for transition at scale. Practical indicators, and extent to which a given stakeholder can be designated as practicing agroecology and not need to be defined. While developing new technologies, jointly defining the value proposition of the new technologies to different stakeholders, and engaging them in the co-creation is important. Given the diversity of agro-ecological zones, social and governance settings in East Africa, technologies must be co-developed with the end-users to ensure that their context, capacities, and interests are taken into consideration. Technologies and innovations should be availed in a user-friendly format with options for continuous capacity building.

A mapping of stakeholders engaged in Agroecology in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda was conducted. Stakeholders and their interactions, constraints, and opportunities for accelerated transition were profiled. Producers and producer organizations, research and academia, consumer groups, development partners, and government agencies were the most common stakeholders. Producer groups were the most engaged given that traditional approaches to agricultural production already comply with several agroecology principles. Only extension and advisory services providers had a holistic understanding of agroecology while other stakeholders were aware of few elements. Main challenges among stakeholders were limited access to agroecologically compliant inputs and knowledge, and limited access to better markets for agroecology products. Accelerated transition to agroecology in East Africa requires development of a simplified framework relevant to local context, and creation of platforms for capacity development, access to inputs and knowledge, and awareness of the importance of and how to comply with agroecology principles.