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Social impact monitoring

Island Aquaponic's objective is to expand fish and vegetable production economically for the world's growing population without detriment to the environment.

If optimized, aquaponics has only positive economic and social impacts.

Island Aquaponics is committed to continually increase the SUPA's ability to produce more from less. 

Island Aquaponic's objective is to expand food production while sustainably for the growing population, without detriment to the environment by:

  • Reduction in the cost of production to make food both locally available and affordable.

  • Cost-effective production on land that is otherwise unusable - 41% of global lands are desert and continue to expand.

  • Substantial reduction of the water requirement for the same food production in a world that is heading towards severe freshwater shortages.

  • Substantial reduction in requirements of fossil fuel energy in food production in a world that is struggling with excessive use of fossil fuel energy and resulting in climate change.

  • A sustainable source of economic activity for people on low or no incomes, especially in environmentally hostile/challenging environments.

Island Aquaponics creates commercially viable aquaponic units. Small Unit of Production Aquaponics (SUPA).

 

In order to sustain the expansion required to make a significant difference to the impending food demand increases, we employ a multidisciplinary research strategy.

Island Aquaponics is primarily involved in research and development of system procedures and on-going improvement of aquaponic production of fish and vegetables. We are

focused on two uses of this technology – development of an economically viable subsistence production unit for smallholder farmers (SUPA) and commercial farm production units.

The development of an inexpensive, reliable and user-friendly aquaponic unit might

create the perception of a conflict of interest to the corporate businesses of the agriculture industry in that these backyard systems will reduce their market share of the existing supply chain. This perception has the potential of limiting the interest in the stakeholders of the existing supply chain to support its development and integration into areas where it is most needed. We will strive to create an environment of understanding of the mutual benefit for both systems being developed in parallel, and support from the large players in the industry. Our ability to create positive change is to bring together the two sectors.

The social impact on the families and communities that are able to benefit from the small unit production aquaponics system (SUPA) will not only be an improvement in their nutrition and economic independence but a focus for positive family and community activity. The educational and activity value cannot be underestimated and applies to the increasing number of unemployed youth in developed countries, (where the logistics of survival are simpler and a social security network exists), as much as the dire requirement in the developing world; where this can grossly affect the simple issue of enough water and food to maintain family health.

 

The SUPA subsistence unit is able to produce the annual requirement of fish and vegetables for a large family and further income from the sale of remaining output, covering the capital investment, running costs and depreciation. The unit is independent of grid energy supply and consists of a prefabricated unit, easily constructed and operated in areas with low logistic support capability. The cost of the resulting unit and its production output make it a viable proposition for micro-finance funding schemes. 

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