DIRECTOR OF the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), Dr. Oudho Homenauth, is optimistic that aquaponics will work here, except that it is a technical process, and its introduction on a large scale will have to be done in collaboration with other stakeholders.
“We know it will work; we have it on our radar…it is a technical process that is not as straightforward as it seems,” he said.
Aquaponics is essentially the symbiotic cultivation of plants and aquatic animals in a re-circulating environment. Aquatic animal effluent (for example, fish waste) accumulates in water as a by-product of keeping them in a closed system or tank, for example a re-circulating aquaculture system. The effluent-rich water becomes high in plant nutrients, but this is correspondingly toxic to the aquatic animal.
Plants are grown in such a way that the environment enables them to utilize the nutrient-rich water. The plants take up the nutrients, thereby reducing or eliminating the water’s toxicity for the aquatic animal. The water, now clean, is returned to the aquatic animal environment and the cycle continues.
Aquaponic systems do not discharge or exchange water. The systems rely on the relationship between the aquatic animals and the plants to maintain the environment. Water is only added to replace water loss from absorption by the plants, evaporation into the air, or the removal of biomass from the system. Also, the systems used vary in size, ranging from small indoor units to large commercial ones. They can use fresh or salt water, depending on the type of aquatic animal and vegetation.
As Dr. Homenauth explained, the development of aquaponics here will take some time, as the technology has to be just right.
Said he: “With aquaponics, if you use the water and it is not right; if the effluents are too rich with one particular thing, it can kill the plants… We have to get the technology right”
He said a primary partner identified for collaboration is the National Aquaculture Association of Guyana (NAAG).
Created some three years ago, NAAG is an active and dynamic public-private partnership that was formed to facilitate the establishment and growth of a sustainable aquaculture industry in Guyana. The vision is for aquaculture to be the leading sector in Guyana by 2015.
According to NAAG President, rice magnate Mr. Beni Sankar, aquaculture has the potential, but the science has to be accurate. Aquaculture is fully supported by the Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Agriculture’s Agriculture Export Diversification Programme (ADP). NAAG’s goal is to ensure that fish produced in Guyana is as competitive as fish produced in any part of the world.
Sankar says he is hoping that aquaculture will be successful in Guyana, and that the concept will work.
But like Dr. Homenauth, he is of the opinion that the right technology is crucial to the successful takeoff of aquaponics.
“We do not have that technology right now, but we are working on it,” Sankar said, adding that the development of aquaculture is also important, since once aquaculture is developed then some progress will be made in getting the water quality right for aquaponics.
Relating his personal experience with the subject matter, Sankar said: “I tried it (aquaponics) with lettuce and some other plants, but it did not work. The water quality was not right, and the plants did not get the right nutrients. It has to be right.”
He stressed the importance of developing aquaculture, which would act as a springboard to the success of aquaponics.
As of the last few years, Sankar explained that NAAG, in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and the United States Agency for International Development/Guyana Trade and Investment Support (USAID/GTIS) project, have been targeting aquaculture as a means of diversifying the future of Guyana’s agricultural economy.
“This is all part of the Ministry of Agriculture’s Agriculture Diversification Programme (ADP),” he said.
The ADP is being funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) at cost of US$21.9M, with counterpart funding from the Government of Guyana to the tune of US$1.1M.
The programme, besides targeting an increase in the export of non-traditional agricultural commodities, also seeks to establish services and institutions for a sustainable increase in the income derived from the export of non-traditional agricultural exports in the aquaculture, fruits and vegetables, and livestock sub-sectors such as beef, peppers, pumpkins, plantains and farm grown fish, particularly tilapia.
Sankar pointed out that the beauty of the aquaponics concept is that there is much room for innovation.
“Aquaponics has much potential, but it has to be developed. And we are looking at it,” he said.