Food Gardens

MTech student Mpendulo Ngcakani is managing the aquaponics system as part of his postgrad research work, looking at factors in the viability of aquaponics in the Nelson Mandela Bay region.

Photos courtesy NMMU

The new gardening system supports the Foundation’ s Health in Action program – a primaryschool-based initiative that is implemented by INMED and focuses on promoting healthy living in local communities in South Africa. Health in Action South Africa reaches more than 100 000 primary school children in 116 schools across 13 atrisk communities in Gauteng and the Eastern Cape in South Africa. Its three main goals are to ensure school children from disadvantaged communities have access to nutritious food, get enough physical exercise and learn about nutrition.

The innovative and cost-effective food production hub is located at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University( NMMU) Missionvale Campus. The unit, built within the NMMU Medicinal Garden at Missionvale Campus, is a medium-sized aquaponics system that includes a protective greenhouse over the fish tanks, with complimentary water catchment or storage facilities and solar power systems.

Well-balanced diet

This collaboration with the university also boasts research opportunities, with an MTech Agriculture student having since been granted

an opportunity to conduct research on the unit that looks at factors affecting the viability of aquaponics in the Nelson Mandela Bay region. MTech Agriculture student Mpendulo Ngcakani, who is managing the aquaponics system as part of his postgraduate research work.

The Port Elizabeth aquaponics system is approximately 223 square meters in size and will at maximum capacity produce

approximately two tonnes of various greens and approximately 1, 9 tonnes of fish annually.

“ Daily consumption of fresh produce is widely acknowledged as key to a well-balanced diet, yet for many in low-income communities in South Africa, healthy food choices are often out of reach,” said Joost Vlaanderen, Mondelez South Africa’ s managing director.“ The aquaponics facilities will help address this challenge.”

Aquaponics is an innovative food production technique that combines aquaculture( fish farming) with hydroponics( soilless crop production, with the cultivation of plants in water). The technique uses up to 90

Future farmers … Primary school learners attending the aquaponics launch learn how to plant lettuce plants.

percent less water than traditional gardening methods and produces up to 10 percent more crops. This is especially important as drought has been threatening the water supply and food security in the Nelson Mandela Bay region.

Two tonnes of veggies

The unit comprises five fish tanks and nine grow beds planted with a variety of vegetable crops, such as lettuce, spinach, peppers, and cucumbers. At maximum capacity, the system will produce roughly 2 tons of vegetables and 1.9 tons of fish annually. While the fish will be harvested twice a year, vegetables will be available throughout the year and will be donated to local schools to supplement the government’ s school feeding scheme program— benefiting thousands of school children.

The project forms part of the broader Health in Action programme launched in 2015 to promote healthy lifestyles, address obesity and alleviate hunger amongst primary school children.

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