Aquaponics Systems Around the World
In almost every description of aquaponics, you’ll find a note about how the systems can be successfully implemented in almost any region of the world. Because aquaponics systems can be placed indoors or outdoors, and are largely drought resistant, they can thrive in any climate.
A quick search on YouTube reveals countless beginners telling their aquaponics stories of success. Titles like “my living room aquaponics system,” or “my basement apartment aquaponics,” reveal that the systems can be sized anywhere from just a few gallons to a full industrial operation. If you’ve been watching aquaponics in the news lately, you’ve likely noticed a trend of more coverage. The once unheard-of farming method is now being screamed about from the rooftops.
In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the Zayed Agricultural Center for Development and Rehabilitation houses one of the world’s largest aquaponics systems. At the time of its construction, it was the largest on the planet. The system serves as a way to train those with special needs to learn about agriculture and sustainable production. Not only are the skills crucial for job training, but the farm provides therapeutic value to the approximately 40 students with special needs. The system consists of two 2400 square meter greenhouses; one houses the fish and the other houses the plants. It produces well over 40 tons of produce and 12 tons of fish annually.
The system was designed by a company called JBA Agritech. JBA Agritech also hired Dr. Charlie Shultz, who is famous for his design of the longest running commercial aquaponics system at the University of the Virgin Islands.
The British news outlet BBC has also focused on a leading aquaponics company in the United Kingdom. The Bioaqua Farm established the first commercial aquaponics farm in the UK, and the biggest aquaponics Trout farm in all of Europe. The company offers informative tours, markets and even catering services for weddings and other events. The Bioaqua Farm considers itself an “eco-integrated farm,” where they farm honey in addition to their aquaponics produce and fish. The company not only offers informative tours, but they also offer classes on site, where students can learn about home aquaponics over the course of two days.
In the past few years, a notable newcomer has also arrived in aquaponics. Kate Humble, an English television presenter, actress and narrator, became angered at the severe lack of food resources plaguing areas of the world. Her company, Humble by Nature, hosts courses on topics ranging from dry wall installation to farming. Her current farm of 117 acres was previously considered too small to be useful or profitable, but aquaponics completely changed that. Working with scientists from Aquaponics UK, Humble joined Charlie Price and Becky Brainbridge to create a model that could produce more food in less space than traditional farming. It is now expected that the farm will soon yield between 30 and 35 kilograms of fruit and vegetables per week, and about 200 kilograms of fish annually. The food supplies a café and a restaurant on site, with some to spare.
While we think of aquaponics as a self-sustainable system we create in order to harvest food, its foundations have also proven to be solutions to problems that arise in nature. In 2004, Lake Taihu, in China, experienced its worst algal bloom. The algae was so severe that researchers had to investigate new solutions that had not yet been used in years past. After researching, they decided to try using floating wetlands, designed to remove the nutrients fueling the algae. The results were astounding. The lake had suffered mass die offs before the floating wetlands, but showed improvement after only three months. The water’s transparency improved by 250%, and no algae was visible! The plants, just like in aquaponics, had soaked up all of the excess nutrients, cutting off the supply requiring algae to grow.
National Geographic published a fascinating article about the Netherlands and their “modern food movement.” The Netherlands is actually the second largest exporter of food in the world, which is amazing considering its small size. Modern techniques such as aquaponics have helped them keep up with demand in sustainable and responsible ways. In the Netherlands, some see aquaponics as having a real social value as well.
Jos Hakkennes is the founder of Durrzame Kost, a Dutch aquaponics farm hidden away on the fifth floor of an old warehouse. Thousands of heads of lettuce, flowers, basil and more all grow abundantly on large flat rafts that take up 800 square meters of deep water. Hakkennes seeks to combine aquaponics farming with vocational rehabilitation, in an effort to work toward environmental and social sustainability. “I wanted to do something about giving people who want to work a proper job a proper chance,” he stated in a recent article on Upstart University.
Of the 60 or so restaurants that surround the old warehouse, about 50 of them purchase produce from Jos’s farm. The farm produces about 22,000 kilograms of lettuce annually, and about 2,500 kilograms of fish, in addition to the herbs and flowers grown. “It’s the perfect way to get people employed,” Jos stated. After all, the production is reliable and constant. He also partners with Futuris Zorg Werk in Eindhoven, a caretaking agency that works with those who have autism. The partnership allows people to use aquaponics to better improve their decision-making skills and their independence. Employees typically get a contract for one year, where they learn responsibility and problem-solving. “The world population is growing… and the amount of people with disabilities is growing, so, when we can put those two together, we have a perfect way of life for people with disabilities.”
Jos’s farm allows them to be responsible for their crops from harvest all the way through delivery, giving them experience in every side of the business, including customer interaction. Every employee also has a key to the farm, giving them each real responsibilities that translate to real skills. “It’s a way to feed the world, so it’s a perfect way to get good work experience,” Jos stated.
Closer to home, an old brewery proved that Aquaponics could work in the cold environments of Wisconsin, and not just in warm areas where the technique has picked up more steam. The old Hamm’s brewery sold its last barrel in 1997, and has since been little more than a landmark on the East Side of St. Paul. Chris Ames, Fred Haberman, and David and Kristen Haider saw past the busted windows and graffiti, and sought to create an indoor farm. Today, after $300,000 in grants and $1 million from private funders, they have 4700 square meters of thriving greens, and 13 200-liter tanks holding over 1000 tilapia. In 2014, they harvested about 450,000 kilograms of lettuce and herbs, and 23,000 kilograms of fish.
Locally, big cities are also seeing an increase in aquaponic farming. In New York City, studies show there is a $600 million unmet demand for local produce. Aquaponics farmers are working to tap into this demand. In Brooklyn, New York, there are three popular aquaponics farms, Verticulture, Edenworks and OKO farms.
OKO Farms is on an old vacant lot in the Bushwick neighborhood. At 2,500 square feet, it’s the largest outdoor aquaponics farm in New York City. The farm cultivates herbs, flowers and vegetables, and raises tilapia, catfish, koi and goldfish.
Edenworks is located on the rooftop of a metalworking shop in East Williamsburg, and uses vertical farming methods, which means the smaller greens, like basil, are grown in stacked channels. They are currently expanding to become a fully commercialized facility, producing 130,000 pounds of greens and 50,000 pounds of fish annually.
At Verticulture, an old Pfizer manufacturing plant is now producing 30 to 40 pounds of basil each week, fertilized by the 150 tilapia living in their system. The company also began experimenting with lighting methods in 2016, using blue, red and white LED lights. The experimental lighting consumed less energy than fluorescent, and also helped the plants grow faster. The experiment was partially an exercise to ensure aquaponics methods could be used in the most difficult of climates, such as desert terrain.
In conclusion, aquaponics is quickly making its stamp across the globe. While it’s obvious that it can assist with market demands and even hunger solutions, it can also help people gain job skills, provide therapeutic relief to those who enjoy nature and even teach STEM to children in ways that are practical and useful. Put simply, aquaponics is the future of farming, no matter what corner of the globe one resides.
Sources:
http://trifectaecosystems.com/news/uae-aquaponics-special-needs/
http://bioaquafarm.co.uk/courses/gardenaquaponics/
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/jul/03/kate-humble-aquaponics-answer-food-crisis
https://www.ecowatch.com/3-aquaponic-farms-in-brooklyn-killing-it-1891176412.html
https://spectrum.ieee.org/green-tech/buildings/the-indoor-aquaponics-farm
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/erik-oberholtzer/aquaponics-farming-for-ch_b_4521011.html
https://university.upstartfarmers.com/blog/aquaponics-autism-netherlands