The author, Henk Stander, Stellenbosch University,
and Liesel Koen, manager of Stellenbosch Feeding
in Action (SFIA).
Knowledge and skills transfer –
The US project group will try to
design commercially viable
aquaponic production models
for Africa and investigate consumer market potentials, including the possibility for ecolabelling and secure efficient
dissemination and knowledge
transfer necessary for a viable
scientific and practical formation
in aquaponics.
Commercial Aquaponics
From a commercial point of view,
there are several arguments as to
why aquaponics may be an ecologically minded and economically viable option. These include, but are
not limited to, increased efficiency
of water usage and treatment, the
potential for branding diversified
products as “organic” (or chemicalfree), and supply of niche markets.
There are issues that must be considered by anyone contemplating
aquaponics, such as the current
climate of the industry, hurdles regarding organic certification, and
the lack of data that could be used
to accurately model aquaponic systems. The foremost issue regarding
the future of the aquaponic industry is the necessity for the continued development of sustainable
aquaculture feeds and energy re-
Participants in the Aquaponics Workshop at Stellenbosch University viewing the system.
quirements. The challenge has been
to develop economically-viable alternative aquafeeds that maintain
the nutritional quality of farmed
seafood. Fish are considered a
“superfood” in part because they
are rich in heart- and brain-healthy
omega-3 fatty acids. These compounds will only reach the consumer’s plate if they are present in the
feed used on fish farms. Secondary
to that is to consider what consultation services, system design, management tools, operating methods
and economic structure best suit
their needs, skills and budgets.
The main objective of the "Food
Independence Project" is to establish a network for cooperation between businesses, researchers and
consumers in southern Africa, in
order to provide new innovations
supporting a more competitive and
sustainable aquaculture and food
sector. The University of Stellenbosch wants to increase the scientific and practical knowledge base
when applying ECO-SYSTEM approaches in aquaculture and horticulture combined. One of the main
objectives of this project is to investigate suitable fish and crop species
for aquaponics in terms of growth,
quality, effluents, temperature and
nutrient balances for the African
climate conditions. Further, to opti-
mise management practices and
technologies in aquaponics, e.g.
treatment of waste water and solid
wastes to protect the environment
from pollution and pathogens.
There are very few commercial
aquaponic operations compared to
the number of commercial hydroponic operations. The research that
has been extensively done is making
aquaponics a viable method of agriculture. Furthermore, the continued
research will refine it even more.
Many different organisations, both
private and public, will take up this
technological quest with a passion
that is dictated by their own particular needs. The resulting improvements will have a far reaching
world-wide effect on the aquaponics industry.
Summary
The social aspect of growing your
own foods using aquaponics is particularly appealing as gardening is
no longer bound to the quality of
soil or even the need to have soil. In
addition, there are several practical
aspects that favour greater adaption of growing plants, particularly
in an urban setting as it has a relatively small footprint, there are no
weeds to deal with and if the grow
beds are situated in an appropriate
manner (my favourite) there is no