"Did you know a fish grew that salad?". When I first learned about aquaponics, I was at Disney World. I know sustainable agriculture isn't exactly the first thing that people think of when it comes to the Disney theme parks... in fact, it probably doesn't even rank in the top 500 things. That's why I was so surprised when I hopped on a seemingly boring "ride" called Living with the Land. During the cute little boat ride, I learned that Disney doesn't just go above and beyond when it comes to rides like the new Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind. They go the extra mile when it comes to sustainable food too, and to me, that is worth celebrating.
So what is aquaponics?
Aquaponics is the practice of growing fish and growing crops in a symbiotic eco-system. Essentially, fish produce organic fertilizer (aka, their poop) for the plants to grow. The plants then purify the water for it to be returned back to the fish. Because both the fish and the plants are in pools of water, this type of agriculture method uses up to 90% less water than traditional farming!
What about hydroponics?
Hydroponics is the method of growing plants without soil. This can be achieved a few different ways. Some hydroponics systems plant seeds in peat mesh and the seeds are contained in vertical structures inside of a greenhouse. When the farmer arranges the seeds vertically, they are able to leverage a drip-irrigation system. The water from this system trickles down past multiple seeds. Any unused water can be collected at the bottom and cycled back into the closed-loop system. Like aquaponics, hydroponics is extremely water efficient and can save between 70-90% less water than traditional farming!
Now what is agrivoltaics?
Agrivoltaics is the coupling of agriculture and solar energy generation. Imagine a bunch of solar panels in a field, but instead of dirt and weeds growing under those panels, imagine the solar panels cascading over hundreds of fresh fruits and vegetables. Crops can benefit greatly from solar panels because the panels provide shade for the plants. Extra shade slows down evaporation so the soil under the panels can retain moisture for longer. Therefore, farmers can save big on their water usage because they won't have to use as much!
Which option is the best???
Aquaponics, hydroponics, and agrivoltaics all have their pros and cons depending on your location and farming goals. If you're looking to grow root vegetables, agrivoltaics may be the route you explore. If you're in a city, you may want to get the most of your land space by taking advantage of vertical farming (hydroponics). There is no one size fits all solution -- the goal is to be better! The more of these alternative agriculture systems that pop up in the future, the more sustainable our world will be.
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