About Hydroponics and Aquaponics

 

 

Hydroponics/Aquaponics

by Rezaul Haq A H M

Hydroponics/Aquaponics is a massive global industry worth billions, but development countries the people who need it most are being left behind.

I am trying to develop Hydroponics/Aquaponics and Hydroponics fodder in Bangladesh conditions to make it cost effective with the participation of local farmer.

Hydroponic/Aquaponics and fodder products is not popular in Bangladesh and competitive with ongoing agricultures ( not commercially viable option with seasonal crops).

Bangladesh University of Agriculture, Maymanshing. Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute trying for the same but so far to not so cost effective, not farmers friendly and not simplify to easy access for mass farmers (family farmer), rather it is replication of Westar system and Lab oriented.

Land to man ration in Bangladesh (2,497.4 per square mile), Water scarcity (seasonal), Land degradation with chemical fertilizer, pest infestation(Pesticides leading to health hazards for man and soil),unwise use of fresh water and degradation of ecosystem and rivers.

Vertical farming in urban environments has sprung out of a need to find alternatives to common practice in industrial agriculture. The way in which industrial agriculture is being conducted today has a wide spread negative impact on the environment as well as being economically inefficient in a number of ways.

Modern day agriculture is a major contributor to the large range of environmental problems the world is facing at present. Agricultural run-off, ecosystem degradation and loss, use of fossil fuel, food wastage, artificial irrigation and use of the world´s freshwater supply are but a few in a long list of issues that needs to be addressed if current agricultural practice is to be made truly sustainable in the future.

All the above will generate and making ground for hydroponics/Aquqaponics cultivation but, at a snail’s pace growing popularity of organic vegetable in urban areas. I am now trying to develop manpower and appropriate technology for our condition in cooperation (providing me lab and space) with Khulna University and also involving community for cultivation as do it yourself (DIY) approach. If I develop and standardized in Bangladesh condition then it must be a good productive agriculture system in water and land scar areas of Bangladesh, additional introduction of Aquaponics in urban city is a must to considering energy-water-environment- poverty- nexus of our country. The growth of urban population in Bangladesh is alarming compeer to any country of the world.

Aquaponics is the highest productive food system would be cultivate in of season that’ are the beauty of the system (Farmers may get high price of vegetable) Aquaponics may go beyond season (which is my thrust area beside construction cost), for which it able to meet additional income of poor and future food security without impedes nature as water requirement (water footprint) is 95% less and productivity is 3 to 5 time higher and across seasonality that goes beyond existing agriculture and aquaculture practice, for which it would be good in coastal areas, where fresh water is scares. I am also trying to introduce Cow’s urine (Organic compost mater) in village grassroots small agriculture farmer with low-cost greenhouse.

Alone with urban Roof top-Aquaponics with which would improve health and sanitation in city environment and Aquaponics with Urine is the excellent high quality option for disable persons, house hold woman and children work with.

By 2050, we need to figure out how to not only feed but also nourish the three billion new people who will be joining the seven billion of us who are already here on the planet, and the year 2050, nearly 80% of the earth’s population will reside in urban centers. Applying the most conservative estimates to current demographic trends in Bangladesh is more adverse. And we need to figure out how to do this as effectively, ethically and as environmentally sensibly as possible.

Kindest regards

Rezaul Haq