A young emerging farmer is cultivating new methods in farming. He grows vegetables in a soil-less system dubbed an “Aquaponic System”. It is where vegetables and fish are grown together.
Two months ago Letlotlo Modise began growing fish and vegetables in the same water.
“What happens is in the pond, the fish water goes into the water trace, or should I say the flower beds. This is where the plants that are growing that water and it absorbs all nutrients that are caused by or produced by the fish.”
It’s a sustainable form of farming, reducing usage of water to produce organic food.
“This method uses about 95% less water than your traditional way of farming. Because what happens is that your farm that you use on the ground, a lot of water goes to waste through evaporation or the water would sieve through and pass the roots. This system that I have here circulates the water and the water goes around and the plants uses as much as they need and the fish also uses as much as they need. So all the rest of the water is just circulating and distributing nutrients around the system, for the growth of the plants.”
Modise erected the greenhouse two months ago. He’s growing peas, spinach, mint and lettuce and the fish pond creates oxygen for the vegetables.
“Coming from the Northern Cape and I have traveled around a lot. So I have seen the different lifestyles that people actually lead and in cities and bigger towns, we come from a small town and we get scraps, especially when it comes to food. It’s very hard to get vegetables in Kuruman, or when you get them and they’re expensive, it’s staff that is exported and with a system like this you’re able to maintain a production of food, of vegetables in the area.”
Modise’s goal is to expand and supply retailers in his province and beyond.
