Researchers awarded £1m to pilot a sustainable alternative to shrimp farming in Mexico
We are delighted to announce that the research project AquaRoots has been awarded funding through the Global Centre on Biodiversity for Climate (GCBC) Research Grant Competition 3 (RGC3).
Led by Lecturer in Nutrition and Global Health Dr Alan Javier Hernandez Alvarez at the School of Food Science and Nutitrion, ‘AquaRoots – Rooting Shrimp Farming in Biodiversity for Climate Resilience and Food Security’ brings together multidisciplinary expertise from the University of Leeds, including Prof. Claire Quinn, Dr Gabriela Lopez-Gonzalez, and Dr Oscar Abel Sánchez-Velázquez. AquaRoots is one of 12 projects selected under the scheme which will be supporting researchers, communities, and policymakers in a number of regions across the world to develop solutions that benefit people, climate and nature.
The AquaRoots project is helping communities in Mexico’s Sinaloa region develop a more sustainable future for shrimp farming. By piloting an innovative sustainable shrimp silvoaquaculture system, the project combines food production with ecosystem restoration, biodiversity conservation and community-led management. The approach aims to strengthen eco-social and economic resilience while providing more sustainable livelihoods for local people.
AquaRoots unites an outstanding international consortium of partners including the Global Centre on Biodiversity for Climate (GCBC), the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and DAI, to develop innovative, nature-based solutions that strengthen the sustainability and resilience of shrimp farming while protecting biodiversity and supporting local livelihoods.
The initiative has been funded through The Global Centre on Biodiversity for Climate (GCBC). GCBC is a UK ODA programme funded by the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with International Climate Finance and managed in partnership with DAI Global. Together, these organisations are supporting cutting-edge research that generates the evidence needed to inform policy and practice for biodiversity conservation, climate adaptation and sustainable development.
At the School of Food Science & Nutrition, University of Leeds, we are proud to contribute our expertise in sustainable food systems, climate resilience and interdisciplinary research as part of a truly global partnership working towards resilient aquaculture systems that benefit both people and nature.
Through AquaRoots, the consortium will work alongside partners and local communities to:
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Advance biodiversity-friendly shrimp farming practices.
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Strengthen climate resilience of coastal production systems.
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Promote sustainable livelihoods & food security.
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Generate robust scientific evidence to support policy & decision-making.
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Build international research capacity and long-term global collaborations.
This project represents far more than a research grant – it is an opportunity to demonstrate how biodiversity can become a powerful solution for addressing some of the world's greatest challenges, including climate change, food insecurity & sustainable economic development.
AquaRoots is the latest example of the University of Leeds delivering impactful science that contributes to healthier ecosystems, more resilient communities and a more sustainable future.
Further information
Discover more about the project here.
Local project collaborators include: CONAPESCA SEMARNAT, CONANP – Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas, Joanna Acosta-Velázquez, Sebastián Gradilla-Hernández, CIAD (Research Center in Food & Development), Grupo Indígena Mayo-Yoreme, Grupo de Mujeres Pescadoras, AYDILAB, Universidad Politecnica del Valle del Évora, Municipio de Angostura, Producción Acuícola La Ensenada, Grupo de Mujeres Pescadoras.
You can find Dr Alan Javier Hernandez Alvarez on LinkedIn here.
