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Chris Somerville Consultant with FAO West Bank and Gaza
[email protected]
Agricultural Innovations for Food Security and Income Generation
in Urban and Conflict Settings:
Lessons Learned From Gaza, the West Bank and Ethiopia
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location Project Production Packages Date Project Type
Gaza Strip
15 Small-scale aquaponicunits
2012Humanitarian: quick impact, food and nutrition security
3 commercial-sizedhydroponic units for small Holder farmers
2015 (ongoing)
Development: R&D of alternative, resourceefficient,
agriculture
livelihoods
West Bank
12 Small-scale aquaponic units
(2012-2013)Humanitarian: quick impact, food and nutrition
security
20 Small-scale hydroponic units & 40 wicking bed systems
(2013-2014)Humanitarian: quick impact food and nutrition
security
Ethiopia6 Small-scale aquapoincs units & 3 demo units at 3
university locations
(2013-2014)
Development: sustainable aquaculture development through the
smart use of
water
Piloting Aquaponics, Hydroponics and Wicking Bed Production
Systems: Project Details
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Humanitarian Project Type: Aquaponics in i) West Bank & ii)
Gaza Strip
Location Production Packages
Date
Gaza Strip 15 aquaponic systems
2012
West Bank 12 aquaponicsystems
2013
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Grow bed unitsProduction Package: 1000 Liter Fish tank 4 sq.
meter Grow bed capacity Pumps, pipes, test kits,
seedlings, fish etc. $700-$1000 per package
Target Group:Vulnerable, female headed, urban Households
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Aquaponics Training
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Humanitarian Project Type: i) Hydroponics & ii)Wicking Beds
in the West Bank
Location Production Packages Date
West Bank (only)
20 Small scale hydroponic systems
2013-14
20 rooftop wicking bed systems
2013-14
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i) Hydroponic unitsProduction Package: 8 m NFT plant production
2 m Grow bed production Hydroponic fertilizer EC & pH meters,
pumps, pipes,
seedlings, etc. $500-700 per package
Target Group: Vulnerable, female-headed,
urban peri-urban Households
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ii) Wicking Bed Production..
Production Package: 4 m wicking bed production Organic
fertilizer, worms Pipes, seedlings, soil mix etc. $200-300 per
package
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Aqua, hydro and wicking beds in Humanitarian Interventions:
Lessons Learnt
Aquaponics not ideal for humanitarian projects targeting the
poorest HHs -
Too complex for short, quick impact projects in areas with no
prior experience extensive training/coaching required
Strong correlation between educational capacity and
productivity
Target HHs with existing agriculture experience who are also
motivated to succeed
Affordable access to high quality inputs essential for
sustainability. fingerlings, seeds, hydroponic solution, test
meters etc
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Development Project type: Aquaponics in Ethiopia
Production Packages Date Project Goal
1. 6 Small-scale aquapoincs units 2. 2 demo units at 2
university
research locations(2013-14)
Sustainable aquaculture development through the smart use of
water
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Activities/Units Completed:
2 demonstration sites 3 units each (2 Media Bed and 1 Grow
Pipe)
6 Beneficiary units
Technical Training
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In new regions, ensure adequate time for extensive analysis on
local available materials and inputs Unit design dependent on
location and
goals ( no one design to fit all locations)
Ensure implementing partners have administrative and HR capacity
to successfully complete all tasks
Outputs:1. FAO Aquaponics Manual 2. Further funding and
expansion of Aquaponics in
Ethiopia with University of Addis Ababa
Aquaponics in Ethiopia: Lessons Learnt
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Development Project Type: Commercial hydroponics in Gaza
Strip
Production Packages Date Project Goal
2 commercial-sized hydroponics units 1 research unit at
university locations
(2015ongoing)
R&D of alternative, resourceefficient, agriculture
livelihoods
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Commercial hydroponics.
Production Package:
3400 plant capacity on 115 sqmeter production space
Simplified system design (non-recirculating hydroponics)
Nursery
Cash assistance for inputs and labour
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Summary of Lessons Learned: Innovation requiring high
educational capacity with only
medium long term returns will take time (years) and significant
knowledge/experience transfer
Project design as important as actual innovation Be very clear
on project goals then design the packages
accordingly: Nutrition and dietary diversity; Income generation;
Support fresh food
availability
To start, identify and work with the most likely candidates to
succeed
Utilize cash assistance for livelihood support when feasible
Focus on teaching principles, not prescriptions
Within humanitarian, food security projects (chronic, than that
acute), innovation should be as simple and as close to current
practices as possible
