Aquaponics is a naturally occurring process that converts fish waste into a viable source of plant nutrients. When aided by a good filtration system and farming entirely off-soil, this agricultural system can be made so efficient that it yields three times the crops per square foot on average compared to soil culture, in addition to the commercial or nutritional value derived from the fish being raised!
But perhaps one of the most important features of a well-designed aquaponic system is that it re-circulates water. As the plants absorb the nutrients dissolved in the water, they effectively clean it, making it safe for it to return to the fish with the help of a pump.
In many parts of the world, the most vulnerable communities are struggling to adapt to climate change. Water scarcity and food security pose a significant risk to the unprecedented era of relative peace that our world has known since the end of World War II. This is why it is important to drive social innovation in a direction that addresses those issues.
Cambodia is at the forefront of climate change and other issues that dominate the 21st century, such as water sovereignty and food security. Because of its brutal history, it also happens to be one of the youngest nations of the world, with over 30% of its population under 30 years of age. This makes Cambodia a great place to develop solutions to these problems. And because our solutions work there, despite a limited supply chain and other logistical challenges, they are also ready to be taken to other remote and struggling communities.
The need for aquaponics in Cambodia is great, as 40% of children suffer from stunting, a condition largely due to a lack of nutrition in the neonatal and prenatal stages of life (learn more). Combined with extreme economic poverty, this makes aquaponics an excellent tool to help people take control of their lives.
In California, where Community First is headquartered, the issues are different in nature but not in substance. This is why, since 2010, the organization is working with local schools in order to introduce the local youth to these global issues. With the State itself at the center of many of the Nation's water issues, and home to many 'food deserts', this makes this outreach project very relevant.
In the classrooms of the Greater Los Angeles area, Community First trainers conduct workshops on the applied STEM fields that relate to aquaponics. Engineering and live sciences are amongst school favorites, and students are eager to build and run small aquaponic systems as part of these workshops.
Our solution: family systems
Not so long ago, the people of Sen Sok had no water, no roads for part of the year, and only dreamed of one day having access to electricity. But the march of progress is inevitable, and technology and other resources have been making their way to rural Cambodia. Most notably, the offering of solar solutions and an expanding electrical grid have enabled us to develop an effective aquaponic system using a supply chain that's accessible within a 50 mile radius of most Cambodian villages.
Today, these systems empower mothers to become the providers they want and can be, while also providing a much needed source of income. But joining together, the women of Sen Sok are starting to farm high value added crops for the local hospitality industry, and Community First is there to help them turn these families' subsistence homestead into successful small businesses.