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Pathways to low-cost aquaponic systems for sustainable livelihoods and economic development in poor communities: defining critical success factors

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Abstract

The combined effects of anthropogenic and climate change factors have severely impacted the yield from the traditional food production system resulting in food insecurity and other socio-economic problems. The predominant food production systems have been reviewed as unsustainable and environmentally unfriendly; therefore, there is a need to adopt innovative and sustainable food production systems locally and globally. This article addresses traditional food production challenges by exploring low-cost aquaponics to attain food security and socio-economic development, notably in poor communities. A low-cost aquaponic system was first developed conceptually using the reflective practice approach. Its applicability to sustainable livelihoods and economic development is explored. Subsequently, the critical success factors of low-cost aquaponics were identified. These include infrastructure design, microclimatic environment, human ecology, and sociocultural dynamics. Due to its integrative and multiple application scenarios ranging from low-tech to high-tech, aquaponics is a complex and unconventional food production system. The reverse scalability to a small scale, the low-cost set-up makes it sustainable in achieving food security and socio-economic development in poor communities.

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  1. RLEDI-GSBL, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, Durban, KZN, South Africa

    Babatunde Adeleke, Shahida Cassim & Simon Taylor

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  1. Babatunde Adeleke
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  2. Shahida Cassim
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Correspondence to Babatunde Adeleke.

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Adeleke, B., Cassim, S. & Taylor, S. Pathways to low-cost aquaponic systems for sustainable livelihoods and economic development in poor communities: defining critical success factors. Aquacult Int 30, 1575–1591 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10499-022-00865-z

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