Via Nova Farms

Pacific Island Trials Aquaponics for Food Supply. Will Cities be Next? | This Big City

Aquaponics could hold the answer to food supply for islands in the Pacific. Many lack suitable soil for growing crops, have limited freshwater, and struggle to import fresh produce because of rising fuel costs. Moreover, a recent study by the marine conservation and advocacy group Oceana named the Cook Islands the country most at risk of food insecurity through ocean acidification, which threatens its fish stocks.

A lack of water in the desert is making Egyptian farmers turn to ancient agricultural techniques to bring dead land to life.

Faris Farrag, a well-known Egyptian banker, is leading an Aquaponics project aimed at turning the Egyptian desert green. Farrag, who himself owns a farm in Cairo and is said to be fond of growing plants, told Al-Jazeera ‘As the price of water soars, as the price of petrol soars, and when the subsidies on farming disappear, this model makes sense.’

Aquaponics is an ancient irrigation technique which is believed to have been invented by the Aztecs which combines the commonly used aquaculture and hydroponic agricultural systems. Having studied the subject in the University of the Virgin Islands under Dr. James Rakocy, Farrag plans to introduce this technique to Egypt. The system has already been implemented in Yemen, Bangladesh and the UAE.

Dr. Ashraf Ghanem, who is a professor of water engineering at Cairo University, supported the project saying, ‘Could serve as a means of income generation for unemployed women, as well as a means of education for children of the household on principles of water saving, plant and fish biology, nutrient cycle, fluid mechanics, hydraulics, microbiology and renewable energies.’

At present Egypt is heavily dependent on the River Nile for its water, 85% of which goes to farming. However, Ethiopian plans to place a damn on the Blue Nile threatens to reroute the great river, which would be disastrous for Egypt.

Living skyscraper concept is straight out of J.R.R. Tolkien’s dreams

Our greatest cities could see massive tree-like structures rising amidst their skyscrapers one day. Teeming with life, these vertical gardens could provide both food and a bit of green space for city folk. These enormous vertical farms could be the self-sustaining hearts of their host cities. They’ll scrub the air clean, purify local water and produce renewable energy. They’ll be so wonderful that it’ll almost be like living in Lothlorien.

How your pet goldfish can help grow kitchen herbs

Back to the Roots, a company started by two UC Berkeley graduates, focuses on making products that promote sustainability in food.  They’re behind those mushroom grow kits you may have seen at Whole Foods and now they’ve developed a product that uses aquaponics to grow plants.  Above is a really great explanation of the science behind aquaponics food systems.

Chinampa (Nahuatl: chināmitl [tʃiˈnaːmitɬ]) is a method of ancient Mesoamerican agriculture which used small, rectangular areas of fertile arable land to grow crops on the shallow lake beds in the Valley of Mexico.