Aquaponics Food Production System at Hackney City Farm

Transcription

1 Aquaponics Food Production System at Hackney City Farm Initial proposition for Aquaponics Food Production System at Hackney City Farm. We will provide all funding for the project. Depending on size and location of aquaponics systems you feel you are able to proceed with we can provide further details of time scale. Contact Details: Hamid Ahmadyar. Mobile: Chantelle Holt Mobile:

2 I. Who is it for? A. Food business owner B. Has food waste C. Has to buy raw food but wants to use way to keep costs down D. Likes to be ethical but in not informed of the approaches E. Subtopic II. What are you changing? A. Take leftover food from plates and feed to fish B. Fertile Fish tank water can be used to irrigate vegetable roots C. Once nutrients from the water are absorbed by plant roots, the water is drained back into the fish tank D. Vegetables grow 3 times quicker than under conventional methods, are organic, and of better larger quality III. Who or what do you need? A. Food businesses or homeowners with space and waste B. Volunteers with time, skills in herticulture, permaculture, etc C. Raw materials to build tanks IV. What behaviour is it changing? A. Stopping Waste food going to landfill B. Stopping poor Understanding of food growth C. Avoiding long distance food production and transport to a more local D. Avoids food price inflation by keeping costs low and sustainable E. Avoiding fertilisers in food production F. Avoids landgrabbing for food production that leaves land for ecosystems to thrive G. Reduces wasted spaces in cities 1. Roof tops

3 2. Flower patches 3. Warehouses 4. Allotments H. Slow food growing is sped up 1. Good for allotment owners I. Avoids denitrification of soil J. Reduces depedence on unstable/unethical farming methods V. What does the change look when it is successful? A. Waste food is utilised in a useful way B. Local community are learning about ecologically sound and sustainable food production C. Food is produced locally thus reducing carbon footprint D. Businesses and homes produce their own, saving money and promote the cause to visiting friends and families E. Organic food free of fertilisers F. Existing eco systems will not be under attack from food production G. Establishes a precedent that can be promoted and introduced locally, nationally and worldwide H. Utilizing valuable and available spaces in built up cities I. Growth cycle is accelerated J. People given access to self sufficiency K. Subtopic VI. How does this help the rest of the community/world A. Could create employment/new skills for unemployed and young people/ people in general. B. Can lead to abundance in food supplies C. Can assist food banks to feed the needy in UK D. Reduces carbon footprint that benefits the world over

4 Possible locations for an Aquaponic System at Hackney City Farm Location 1: Below windows outside Café Advantages: Public thoroughfare; highly visible, variable size capacity, close enough to draw electricity. Close to source of food waste and close to where plants will be grown. Disadvantages: Limited scale, needs good security due to the close vicinity to the public. Location 2: Rooftop Advantages: Can accommodate a large scale system, out of the way of the public, still visible, could be a good use of wasted space, visible from outside farm. Disadvantages: Not easily accessible to feed or harvest, not as visible to visitors.

5 Location 3: Left hand side of the bike yard. Advantages: Sheltered by building, easy electricity access for pump, out of the way, safe from public, still partially visible, room for expansion, secure. Disadvantages: Not as visible to the public as other locations, not easily accessible to feed or harvest as other locations. Location 4: Green House Advantages: Sheltered and warm, climate control for growth, space for expansion, well lit. Disadvantages: Will take space from other growing systems, possibly no electricity for powering pump, not particularly visible would require signage, might be out of bounds for general public.