Earth Friendly Aquaponics Is Set To Revolutionise The Way We Eat

Aquaponics could be the solution to sustaining inner-city fine dining in an everchanging climate

We thought farm-to-table dining was good. How about farm-to-table-in20-minutes, with a carbon footprint of near-zero? We’re not talking about eating among the crops; we’re talking about an integrated farm on an inner-city roof that provides sustainable, organic produce to restaurants, while eliminating freight and reducing water usage by up to 90 per cent. Enter: aquaponics.

Aquaponics is a fusion of aquaculture and hydroponics, whereby fish and vegetables rely on each other for growth and nutrients. The fish live in tanks where they’re fed and spend their days swimming and growing. Their waste turns into nitrate, which becomes nutrition for the soilless vegetables. The vegies take what they need from the water, cleaning it as they go. It then flows through a filter back into the fish tanks, and the cycle begins again. The vegies are harvested by the chefs, and the fish are left to grow until they’re serving size.