Aquaponics farming gaining ground but limited by costs, product range

The technology works mainly for exotic vegetables which command a premium in the market, and it isn't every farmer's cup of tea as the investment is too large for local produce to be viable

From time immemorial, cultivators have been growing a variety of flora in water for its vast resource of minerals which are conducive for the growth of acquatic plants

The process has acquired a new meaning with the advent of commercial ‘aquaponics’, which uses the goodness of water used by fish to grow crops, primarily green leafy vegetables.

The method is simple. A large tank is filled with water. In this, fish are bred in adequate numbers.

The water, which becomes rich in ammonia and other minerals over time from the waste discharged by fish, is then used to grow plants