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“There’s an aquaponic solution to every food problem”. Aquaponics- integrating aquaculture with crop production. Andrew Chambi Founding Director of Aqua Roots. Presentation Overview. Issues in food production Agriculture industry, Aquaculture, Increasing food production Aquaponics - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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“There’s an aquaponic solution to every food problem”
Andrew ChambiFounding Director of Aqua Roots
Aquaponics- integrating aquaculture with crop
production
Presentation Overview• Issues in food production
• Agriculture industry, Aquaculture, Increasing food production
• Aquaponics• How it works, Economics of aquaponics,
Case for aquaponics, Existing models of aquaponics
• Types of aquaponic systems• Deep Water, NFT etc, System
components, Models, Versitility
• Some Examples
• Aqua Roots’ background
Global agriculture industry• Decreasing resource
availability:• Arable land available
per capita decreased by 40% between 1960 and 2000;
• Water demand increases by 64 billion cubic meters/year;
• agriculture accounts for 71% water withdrawals;
• By 2030, 47% of global population will be living under severe water stress
Global fisheries & aquaculture• Fish very important source of animal
protein – especially in low-income food-deficit countries (LIFDCs).
• Fish consumption has many health benefits:• Low fat, high protein content• Essential Omega 3 fatty acids• Vitamins D and B2
Global fisheries & aquaculture• Challenges to aquaculture industry
• Environmental degradation through water discharge and escapes
• Water supply and energy requirement• Biosecurity• Fishmeal based aquaculture feeds
Fish/rice culture
• Over 2,500 year old technique from India and Asia
• Rice provides a habitat for fish
• Rice helps purify the water• Fish eat insects and
circulate water• Fish provide nutrients for
rice • Crop diversity – cereal grain
and fish, crustaceans and water fowl.
Aquaculture/irrigation
• At least 2000 year old technique• Relevant in places with stored
irrigation water for terrestrial crops
• One way flow of water• Water is used twice – once for
fish, and once for plants• Fish wastes fertilise the water –
enhancing growth of downstream crops
• Presence of fish reduces pest and parasite organisms - mosquitos
How aquaponics works• Aquaculture waste becomes hydroponic
nutrient• Hydroponic component removes nutrients
and filters water• Clean water returns to fish rearing tanks
12
3
Aquaponics• Recirculating aquaculture system (RAS)
• Water efficient• Supports high stocking densities• Requires high level of water filtration and
treatment• Creates nutrient rich effluent stream
• Hydroponic plant production• Water and space efficient• Does not require “agricultural land”• Allows complete control over plants – no weeds!• Nutrients supplied to plants in solution• Can create dangerous, high mineral content
waste stream
Economics of aquaponics• Plant growth the major component.• Uses 10% of the water of soil agriculture per unit
crop yield.• Low maintenance and management time
requirement.• Domestic systems can contribute greatly to food
security and household economies• West bank study revealed AP system could produce food
with a value 30 - 50% of the average daily salary in WB/Gaza respectively.
• Increases the variety and quality of food available• Commercial systems enable significant revenue
generation from “by-products”– Daily 1kg fish food 700g fish mass 8 lettuces
harvested
Case for aquaponics
• Space efficient • allows high stocking and planting densities.
• Water efficient • closed loop recirculating system.
• Clean • zero discharge; all waste processed and used on-site.
• Crop diversity • Plant and fish production.
• Biological system • no chemicals allowed.
• Versatile • can be implemented on micro to massive scale.• can make use of “non agricultural” land.
System components
• Fish tank(s)• Plumbing• Water pump• Air pump• filter
Flood and drain
• Optimal growbed depth – 30cm• 3 zones: wet zone, tidal zone and dry zone
DWC / floating raft
• Plants grown on floating sheets (styrofoam)• Roots in aerated water• Water depth 20-60cm• Constant depth – continual flow
• Roots can “suffocate” if water is not well filtered prior to DWC growbed
• Best suited to production of small, leafy crops
• Favoured commercial technique
Strawberry towers
• Not just for strawberries!
• Plants grown in vertical pipes• Volcanic rock, clay
beads, foam strips• Water trickles from
top to bottom• Continual flow
• Towers may clog if water is not well filtered
Wicking beds
• Hydroponic soil growing?• 15cm “wicking” reservoir at base• 20-30cm soil on top• Water moves up into soil by capillary action• Continual flow OR no flow
• Suitable for a wide variety of crops – including root crops
System examples - mini
System examples - mini
System examples - large
System examples - large
42 days later…
Aqua Roots Background
History & Future• Setup by a team with a diverse background
• Six years successfully implementing domestic “backyard” and commercial systems in the UK, the Middle East and Africa.
• Teaching and lecturing mainstream science and community aquaponics.
• Aim to implement community based, high production systems in the UK.