Inside Aquaponics in Africa

Aquaponics production methods is a combination of aquaculture and hydroponic plant production in a closed cycle. Aquaponics is considered to be a highly sustainable grow system that can grow a wide range of plants and rear nutritious fish at the same time. After 5 weeks from restarting our aquaponic system in Sierra Leone we can see both plants and fish growing fast. In order to feed the fish, we use a self made feed formulation consisting of dried fish, moringa leaves, rice bran and vegetable oil. The fodder makes both plants and fish grow well.

Aquaponic require no soil: Plants grow on granite gravel only

Tubers like sweet potato grow well in aquaponic media bed: Potato leaf in Sierra Leone is a main diet for people

The aquaponic system: Growing maize, ginger, salad, peas, tomatoes, onions, sweet potato and parsley

Parsley is highly expensive in local markets in Sierra Leone. Aquaponic is a great way of making profit in a short time.

Peas, ginger and carrots growing in a media bed on granite gravel stone.

rearing tomato seedlings in the aquaponic system

Young salad seedlings

Once the aquaponic system is cycled, enough nutrients are provided for optimal plant growth

Using an underwater camera to see the Tilapia growing

Indegenous Tilapia from Sierra Leone

The feed formulation is beneficial to the overall health of the fish

Salone Aquaponic system with new tilapia stock and new vegetables started

In order to have a high producing aquaponic system a constant power supply is needed.
The aquaponic system with a new stock of Tilapia (oreochromis niloticus) is beginnig to grow back with new vegetables. The aquaponic system is currently growing parsley, salad, tomatoes, onions, mint, peas, ginger, rice, pineapple, basil and carrots. After installing a solar panel and a battery back up, to sustain prolonged powercuts the system is able to revive productivity throughout the year. Aquaponic has great potential in Africa to produce high class vegetables regionally and cost efficient. Stay tuned for more aquaponic news soon.

Rice seedlings and a pineapple sucker growing in the aquaponic media grow bed

Peas and carrots growing

Young salad seedlings

Parsley is extremly valuable in Sierra Leone and has a high market price

Adding a 100 watts solar panel to power the 10 watts pump on cloudy skies during rainy season

A solar charger and back up battery to sustain power cuts in the aquaponic system

New stock of Tilapia for the aquaponic system

Aquaponic farming and fish breeding in Sierra Leone

Aquaponic technology in Sierra Leone: Young fish, groundnuts and green pepper

Hi readers, it´s been a while since our last post. Many things happend at our aquaponic project site.
Although the electricity in Freetown is barely available more then 8 hours per day, we still managed to keep the system alive.
The fish even strated to breed and we had many young ones. Through an long lasting power cut of several days, we were forced to eat the big fishes in order to prevent them from dying because of lack of oxygen as the pump did not run. Currently we only have 4 fish left from the offspring. We managed to harvest a ripe chili although the nitrates are currently low. In a few weeks we will install a sustainable solar and wind power system to supply environmental friendly electricity.

Peppers, groundnuts and tomatoes

Although lack of nitrogen, due to very low fish density, the green pepper is growing and will soon end up in the stew

Ginger is growing

Green leaves showing signs of low nitrates. More fish need to be added in the system.

Hawa harvested the first aquaponic groundnuts from the system. Boiled in salt water they are an excellent and healthy snack.

Please also watch our youtube channel with more recent videos about our aquaponic system and the yount tilapia that hatched a few weeks ago.

Urban aquaponic fish and vegetable farming in Sierra Leone

Growing local green leaves (cren cren) in the NFT system

80 holes NFT system for continous production of leafy greens

Tomatoes thriving in the aquaponic system. The system deliver enough nutrients for the nutrient demanding tomatoes.

We have planted a young cocoa seedling, which we found behind our house. As we can see, the tree has started to produce fresh leaves. This is the first cocoa tree that grows in an aquaponic system.

Peanuts growing well in the aquaponic system

The tilapia have breeded and now we have many youg fish in our tank.

Ginger is growing

Tomatoes growing through NFT system

Young pepper seedlings

The aquaponic system. A total of 8 square meter growing space and 250 liter fish tank. We have put the NFT system on top of the gravel beds to save space and maximise growing space.

Tilapia and catfish produce the nutrients for the plants to grow

Looking forward to harvest sweet water melon in a few months.

Salone Aquaponic receives aquaponic manual from FAO

Salone aquaponic staff Rachel Kamara (right) and Hawa Kargbo with Aquaponic manual sent by FAO

A second floor was added to the system, for the NFT system

Any interested party or person can download the manual from the FAO homepage under the following link:

www.fao.org/3/a-i4021e/i4021e00.pdf

Urban aquaponic system shows fast growth of vegetables

Sweet bell pepper showing fast growth. 2 more weeks till harvest!

The urban aquaponic system with various vegetable varieties.

Water melon seedlings coming up.