Aquaponics: Less is More

Did you know that the United Nations designated 2014 as the International Year of Family Farming? The honored agricultural activities operated by family members cover an array of production types: agricultural, forestry, fisheries, pastoral, and aquaculture. Unsurprisingly, water is the key element to support these farming activities.

California is now experiencing the third worst drought in its recorded history. More than 36 percent of the state’s land is classified as being in exceptional drought. The economic impact felt statewide has registered a 3 percent loss in net revenue. Over the next two decades water resources will play an even more vital role. Because current traditional farming is an open loop production system with water being the most significant input, the system becomes increasingly unstable and fragile if the water cannot be secured.

Is there an alternative to ease the demand of water for farming? A method similar to the symbiosis that exists in the ecological system, aquaponics could be a perfect solution. Aquaponics is an integrated ecosystem which combines aquaculture (raising animals in water) with hydroponics (planting based on water without soil). The fish- and plant-based aquatic systems have a symbiotic relationship that creates a closed loop food production system: Water is recirculated within the system and fish waste becomes nutrients for plants. In turn, plants filter the water for fish habitat. Worms, a byproduct of the composting plant cuttings, provide food for fish. Aquaponics is not a new technology; Aztecs’ Chinampa, or floating gardens, and the rice paddy fields in southern Asia employed this method.

Aquaponics requires less water per unit of food production. The nonprofit Aquaponics UK estimates that “one kilogram fish food will produce at least 50 kilograms vegetable and 0.8 kilogram of fish.” This self-sustainable food production system could be the answer for those countries which rely heavily on imported food.

Aquaponics systems will save at least 80 to 90 percent of water usage compared to traditional agriculture and aquaculture. Under normal operation the water within the system is effectively reused and recirculated. To maintain the water balance within aquaponics, water is added only for the loss of transpiration and absorption from plants, so that aquaponics are applicable even in arid regions. And because arid regions usually have plenty of sunshine, there is an opportunity to transfer local solar power into an energy source supporting the water and ambient system of aquaponics.

The current scale of aquaponics is relatively small and not yet mature enough for commercial applications; it’s more suitable for urban farming and neighborhood-oriented agriculture, or even within a reclaimed warehouse or abandoned factory. There is more and more DIY information on web sites; every day; perhaps a backyard aquaponic garden yielding a diversified and “edible landscape” for your home is not far away.

Tags: aquaponics Aquaponics UK Chinampa International Year of Family Farming Marc Tsay SWA