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AFAIK aquaponics is less labour-intensive than traditional (soil-based) farming (all parameters being as equal as possible). Pest control is also less of a bur

AFAIK aquaponics is less labour-intensive than traditional (soil-based) farming (all parameters being as equal as possible). Pest control is also less of a burden and risk factor, in my opinion especially with ebb & tide systems. It, indeed, cannot be certified as organic. However some found ways, such as selling (or even creating) to high-end restaurants. Pertinent (with labour) studies: https://ag.purdue.edu/agecon/Documents/Aquaponics%20in%20Indiana.pdf https://ag.purdue.edu/agecon/Documents/Aquaponics%20in%20Ind... https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/economics-of-aquaponics.html https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/economics-of-aquap... Personal experience: string interest since 2009, created then maintained many micro to very-small scale experimental systems.

mastazi 5y ago
Thank you very much for those links!
- natmaka 5y ago
  You are welcome! I'm quite astonished to not see more of such projects here, as there an elegant, efficient and interesting cross between aquaponics (and even hydroponics) and IT, as automation is key when it comes to lower labor costs and various risks. The whole domain (high-end food) is economically booming. Launching an experimental project isn't difficult nor expensive, and scaling up is possible. It comes as a fair mix of abstract-and-applied and also buy-or-build challenges, of work to do on a desk and also in the field... It also enables (partially) remote maintenance and expert-diagnostic. All this without any real philosophical tension (no user to lure or to spy on!). One may even avoid killing fishes, for example by raising ornamental species. Last but not least such a project is satisfying because you design, create, maintain... you see it running, instead of working on a component of a component (...) of some huge abstract org.

mastazi 5y ago

Thank you very much for those links!

natmaka 5y ago
You are welcome! I'm quite astonished to not see more of such projects here, as there an elegant, efficient and interesting cross between aquaponics (and even hydroponics) and IT, as automation is key when it comes to lower labor costs and various risks. The whole domain (high-end food) is economically booming. Launching an experimental project isn't difficult nor expensive, and scaling up is possible. It comes as a fair mix of abstract-and-applied and also buy-or-build challenges, of work to do on a desk and also in the field... It also enables (partially) remote maintenance and expert-diagnostic. All this without any real philosophical tension (no user to lure or to spy on!). One may even avoid killing fishes, for example by raising ornamental species. Last but not least such a project is satisfying because you design, create, maintain... you see it running, instead of working on a component of a component (...) of some huge abstract org.