In Andavakoera, Madagascar
Aquaponics is a food production system that combines conventional aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as a variety fish or shrimp in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in… water) in a close and interactive environment. It is the MBP’s quest to introduce additional sustainable food production methods to the community of Andavakoera in Antsiranana.
As of September 2013, though a partnership with Whispering Roots, an Omaha-based nonprofit that specializes in Aquaponics, we constructed and tested a pilot aquaponic system in the genetics’ lab where we tried to mirror the concepts that we were hoping to build in Madagascar. This test system allowed us to learn the process hands-on as well evaluate vegetative and fish productivity in the system for deployment in Madagascar.
In June of 2014, the MBP began building the first system. Shannon, OHDZA-MBP’s office manager and aquaponics expert, was there to assist with the building and setting up of the system. She was also able to pass on some of the knowledge we have gained from genetics’ lab model.
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