- Liberty Two Degrees (L2D) co-owned Eastgate Shopping Centre (Eastgate) has launched its rooftop Aquaponics Farm District, a first for its shopping centres.
- The Farm utilises smart new technologies to provide sustainable solutions to food production and security to patrons of the centre and the broader Johannesburg.
In partnership with Ichthys, one of the frontrunners in the aquaponic industry, Eastgate Aquaponics Farm District aims to create a premium go-to experience for the future of sustainable, organic and educational food sourcing.
The concept of aquaponics marries aquaculture and organic farming with hydroponics, whereby plants and fish are grown together in one integrated system. The fish produce clean and natural fertiliser that provides a natural food source for the growing plants, while the plants in turn provide a natural filter for the water the fish live in.
Credit: Liberty 2 Degrees
Carmen Collison, L2D Asset Management Executive for Eastgate comments “There are rising cost challenges impacting the conventional farming profitability. The farming community has declined by 2/3rds since 1990, with the demand on fish resulting in stock depletion. Increased standards of living have resulted in humanity’s ecological footprint exceeding the planet’s biocapacity by 30%. “
“The need to start adopting climate positive practices to ensure a climate positive impact is accelerated in our everyday lives cannot be emphasised enough. We are excited to have partnered with one of the best in the industry in an initiative that aligns to our strategic objective of achieving a net zero sustainability target by 2030 in line with our strategic building blocks”, says Amelia Beattie the Chief Executive of L2D.
Eastgate’s Aquaponics Farm District aims to create a hub to educate local communities on alternative farming methods, thus investing in the future of agriculture in South Africa. Through this initiative, local employment is created through an eco-friendly sustainable urban farming solution that provides an abundance of healthy food, farmed by the community for the community.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
1 Comment
Hi.
I pass there every day.
I like the project since the day they were setting it up.
I would love to get the same knowledge to impart it to many needy people out there.
Thanks so much for coming up with this good technology.