We were interested to watch this video about the work of South African man called Japie Muller. He has set up an aquaponic system in his home town of Stellenbosch (about 50 KM east of Cape Town) in order to help feed the high numbers of people living below the poverty line.

Like India, South Africa has a food supply that is vulnerable to drought and other environmental issues. It is also a country with big climate differences – also like India.

As this video points out, with aquaponics you can continue to grow the same produce steadily year round. You also use water very efficiently, essential in both South Africa and India. Transport costs are also low if you can grow produce close to market, and the food shelf life is longer if the food gets to the consumers so soon after harvesting. Given that food in an aquaponics system grows roughly 6-7 times faster than normal crops, and how cheap it is to run, this makes aquaponics a great idea for countries with famine problems.

We would love to see initiatives like this to feed the hungry of India, and we hope very much to be a part of it.

Aquaponics in India will soon be offering consultancy services. Please get in touch for more information.

Written by Pippa Woodhead
Being a health-nut, London born Pippa has struggled to adjust to the lack of availability of lettuce and kale since re-locating to India. Previously naive to the extent of the worlds food struggles, she has now become obsessed with sustainability in food production and especially in India where it needs it the most (plus she’s also hoping to get her hands on some kale any day now). When she’s not writing for Aquaponics in India, she is usually found with her head in a book or in the kitchen experimenting with new vegetarian recipes.