The Aquaponic System in Kenema is growing! Time to scale up Aquaponics in Sierra Leone

 

Salone Aquaponic completes its scalable self-sustaining urban aquaponics farm in Kenema

Salone Aquaponic has completed its 250 square meter aquaponic and vertical farming greenhouse in Kenema, Eastern Sierra Leone, to produce lettuce, vegetables and tilapia fish in a self-sustaining, climate smart way. Locally produced food has many benefits such as fresh and vitamin-rich diet, short transport ways and job creation in remote communities, just to mention a few. The 250 square meter greenhouse holds rearing tanks for fingerlings, growout tanks for 1500 tilapia and 3 growbeds, combining media beds and floating raft (DWC Deep Water Culture) in one system. 

250 sqm tropical greenhouse with DWC & media beds

Salad seeds growing in the aquaponic DWC

Cement growout ponds holding each 750-1000 tilapia

Soy bean growing in a gravel media bed

The system combines media beds and DWC

Spring onions in the DWC

Tilapia juveniles in one of the aquariums

Styrofoam plates with net cups are floating on the water

The greenhouse features a unique design for hot climates allowing air to flow through and create a natural cooling

Mini-grid PV-system for the supply of energy to the compound

10kw lithium-ion battery array and PV components

The offgrid aquaponic system is powered by a 10KW photovoltaic system 

Tilapia fingerlings in one of our fingerling tanks

Big thanks to the team of Agro Fish Farm SL Ltd. for the improved tilapia fingerlings

Agro Fish Farm SL Ltd. raises improved tilapia in greenwater ponds

The CEO and founder Aminata Kandeh monitoring and supervising the stocking process

Agro Fish Farm CEO Aminata Kandeh 

Fish food made with locally available products

Making floating pellets with locally available material

Climate smart aquaponics

 We are gradually progressing with the construction of the Aquaponic system in Kenema, Sierra Leone. Powered by photovoltaics the greenhouse provides space for 100 square meter of deep water culture rafts (DWC) and gravel media beds; the rearing tanks for the fish holding 12.000 liter water, space enough for around 1000 mature tilapia and catfish.

200sqm greenhouse with shade net

PV panels mounted on a metal frame

Floating rafts for the DWC

2022 Aquaponic project in SL

 The Salone Aquaponic project has started back in 2014. We are happy now to continue our venture towards a sustainable climate resilient food security with our new project in Kenema. 

Please keep following the setup of the greenhouse and tilapia nursery powered by photovoltaics.

The fruits of urban aquaponic farming: Egg plant and mint

From our urban aquaponic farm we have been harvesting the fruits of our labour. We have harvested egg plant and mint. The egg plant we used for various tasty vegetarian/vegan snacks like grilled egg plant with garlic and herbs or ital egg plant fritters and the mint we dried for mint tea.

 Mint leaves growing well in the aquaponic system: The dried leaves make an excellent tea.

 Massive egg plant yields on weekly basis

 The flowers of an egg pant

 Recycle single use plastics. By cutting plastic bottles and stuffing it with water sackets makes an excellent bio filer. The perfect medium for the useful aquaponic bacterias.

 The NFT system is currently empty. Only some weeds are growing.

 Clear water in the fish tank

 A snail in the biofilter hels to further break down the minerals. According to research, snails in aquaponic increase overall health in aquaponic systems as the feed on the waste in the filter.

 Baked egg plant with garlic and herbs on grilled bread. A tasty vegan snack.

 Ital egg plant fritters! Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo tasty!!!

 Growing tomatoes and mango seedlings in the aquaponic media bed.

 Can aquaponic become a tree crop nursery option? We need to try further... Mongoes seems doing well in the aquaponic.

Drying the mint leaves. The dried leaves are stored in a mason jar for tea!

Aquaponic in Sierra Leone: Project progress and lessons learnt

The Salone Aquaponic project is now ongoing for over 3 years. We installed a first test system at the Salone Aquaponic office in Freetown. Expansion plans are made to further expand the system to a commercial viable operation. Several hotels, businesses and private customers have expressed their strong interest in pruchasing fresh and organically produced local vegetables and herbs. Here are some pictures from our current crops. The arabic mint is performing great with good taste!

The aquaponic system on our veranda at the Freetown office

Arabic mint is performing great in the aquaponic system. The mint leaves give a great tea and spice up your salads, like tabouleh and couscous salad.

Italian basil, a intensive flavour, great for pizza, pasta and salads.

Garden egg growing in the media beds

Garden egg flowering in the aquaponic system