The trend of fishermen fishing in major water bodies and small streams has since changed, with many adopting aquaculture. Although highly appreciated, experts think farmers must further adopt aquaponic farming to harvest both fish and crops - mainly vegetables - of their choice. Aquaponics is a sustainable food production system as it combines aquaculture - rearing fish and hydroponics, which is growing plants in a soilless setting.
It creates a symbiotic ecosystem where nutrient-rich water from fish tanks is used to fertilise plants and the plants in turn, filter the water to be recycled back to the fish tank for their growth. This integrated approach reduces water usage and eliminates the need for chemical fertilisers, making it an environmentally friendly and efficient method of food production.
This is what scientists at the National Fisheries Resource Research Institute (NaFIRRI) Aquaculture Research & Development Centre, Kajjansi are advocating fish farmers especially in urban setting to adopt.
Dr Barry Kamira a research officer at the Institute explained that the aquaponics research project at the Institute is a two year project being conducted under a major project called Pr AEctiCE funded by the European Union. This study arose out of the need to sensitise urban fish farmers about the importance and advantages of adopting aquaponics fish farming which leads to farmers harvesting fish and crops as well. The project started in 2021 and it will soon come to an end with promising results. The scientists will disseminate the information by bringing farmers on site to learn how to set up aquaponics farm.
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