Page 60 - U4SSC Simple ways to be smart

Figure 1: Aquaponics system 100

The benefits of aquaponics include:

• It is a closed-looped system where very little waste is generated and inputs are minimized.

• Extremely water-efficient and hence an option for areas with limited fresh water.

• Appropriate for areas with poor quality soil because it requires no soil; avoids soil degradation,
including soil compaction, salinization, depletion, pollution and disease.
• No fertilizers or chemical pesticides are required, producing healthier food without environmental
damage.

• Can be used in urban and peri-urban environments where no or very little land is available,
providing a means to grow dense crops on small balconies, patios, indoors or on rooftops.
• Aquaponics is adaptable and can be developed with local materials and domestic knowledge
to suit local cultural and environmental conditions.

• There is a wide and growing information base about aquaponic farming, including readily
available online resources.
• The technology and techniques are relatively simple and easy to adopt, with initial support for
farmers.

• The daily tasks of planting, tending to the system, and harvesting are less physically strenuous
than traditional agriculture and can be done by people with less physical strength and stamina.

• Better control of production leads to fewer losses.

48 U4SSC: Simple ways to be smart