At first glance, you might not think that fish, worms and bio-waste have something in common, but the opposite is true. Fish, worms and bio-waste are the key ingredients for three different farming technologies that are fit for an urban setting: Aquaponics, vermiculture and biogas. Together with KCCA and UN Environment Programme, Rikolto popularised these technologies in Kampala, Uganda.
Fish: Food for people and plants
One of the technologies that are fit for urban farmers is an aquaponics system. Aquaponics – or fish farming – has been booming in Kampala in recent years. Globally, it is the fastest growing form of farming with an increase in the number of fish farmers with 10% each year. It is in high demand because the initial investment is affordable, and a farmer gets a high return on investment. In Kampala, challenges of farmland scarcity and water pollution are overcome by optimizing the aquaponics system: intensification by the use of tanks, use of rainwater and water purification and recirculation systems.