As our population grows, so does the need for healthy and sustainable food systems. Researchers and food scientists are searching for ways to conserve our natural resources while still being able to grow enough nutritional food to properly feed the population. Often the best answers are right in front of us and almost always found by blending nature with technology. Aquaponic farming and aquaponics education, a growing trend, happens to be one of those solutions that will sustainably feed our society.
Aquaponics, Agriculture & Technology
Agriculture students and entrepreneurs alike are striving to syndicate traditional methods of growing food with new technologies which enable us to grow in our evolving built environments. The goal is to produce food that’s locally-grown, flavorful, and nutritional enough to sustain our families.
Aquaponics is sustainable, environmental, and economical for both personal food production and commercial enterprises. This closed-loop food production system offers value to everyone who chooses to grow using aquaponic methods. The possibilities for aquaponic growers are endless with proper aquaponics education. In aquaponics, the growers can harvest the fish, raise organic produce, and practice water conservation, while growing almost anything faster. Yes, aquaponic growing can feed the world.
In many cities like San Francisco, Denver, Portland, and even communities in Florida, the residents have developed a culture of concern and care regarding their food. Aquaponics growing methods offer a perfect solution for these large urban environments as the systems can be totally scalable.
Aquaponics Education
More and more aquaponic educational facilities are popping up with more programs being offered. For example, Green Acre Aquaponics in Brooksville, Florida provides students with the skills to develop a successful aquaponic farming business. Students of this program will learn how to build and operate the system from integrated components, analyze the farming business, and implement marketing and sales development techniques.
For beginners, an essential aquaponics education resource is Aquaponic Gardening: A Step by Step Guide to Growing Fish and Vegetables Together by Sylvia Bernstein. Sylvia is widely regarded as the guru of aquaponic gardening and has been the leader in bringing this kind of sustainable farming to the forefront of urban agriculture.
The Future of Aquaponics
Aquaponic farming not only provides families and communities with a fresh, local, and nutritional food supply, but it also provides an economic opportunity for entrepreneurs. Urban agriculture through aquaponics education is also a terrific method of balancing out social challenges that are often faced in urban settings. It’s also a wonderful tool to teach kids about environmental education concepts. Overall, aquaponics has the ability to cultivate and maintain a resilient community.Feature Image: Aquaponics education from Aquaponics for Research and Education at Michigan Technological University. Image via SuperiorIdeas.org