Is it time for a new way to produce our food more sustainably? What if we could forget about conventional farming, and grow our own food in our own neighbourhoods and reduce the carbon footprint of our diet? Yes, it's possible with aquaponics and some scientists see it as the way to give less burden our ecosystems.

Monoculture and the excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides leads to enormous degradation of entire ecosystem and so planet. For one thing, agriculture contributes to roughly one fifth of all emitted greenhouse gas emissions globally and roughly half of the world's population experiences severe water scarcity during at least one month of the year. Agriculture currently accounts for 70% of all freshwater withdrawals globally. 

Then comes the aquaponics. Aquaponics can use 90% less water than conventional farming. And in this system, the water gets recycled as it's a closed system. In the indoor-greenhouse, water is only lost through evaporation or through the amounts that plants need.

The plants grow on styrofoam plates with only their roots in the water, without any soil like medium. After few weeks, they are ready to be eaten. So that's it? Of course not. The secret of this farm literally swim in the water. The leafy greens grow along with fishes and that's symbiosis.

Aquaponics is basically a combination of aquaculture (fish farming) and hydroponics (cultivation of plants without soil). And the simple thing about it is : the two systems form an almost perfect ecological cycle. Fishes nourishes the vegetables and the water which is rich in fish manure, is pump through pipes into a tank. Now, in the tank, bacteria which occur naturally in water and soils are cultivated. They convert the toxic ammonia from the fish feacal matter into nitrate, a natural fertilizer that plants need to grow. Then the plants absorbed in nutrients filter the water and return the clean water to the fish pond. A wide variety of vegetables and plants can be grown the system this way.

The reduction or potential removal of pesticide use comes as the system is highly controlled and separated from the outside world. Along with livestock, fish are wonderful source of animal protein worldwide. At the same time, over fishing is one of the greatest threats to ocean ecosystems. And aquaculture could be a possible solution to this.

So what do you think? Let me know in the comments. Have a nice day!