Young South Africans take up sustainable agriculture for food security

In a school in South Africa, a group of students stare at a row of small plants growing in a greenhouse. Each one is involved in the lesson, caring for the growing crops. But this is no ordinary classroom setting. These children are learning about aquaponics, a method of growing plants and fish in a mutually beneficial water system. This ancient technique of food production is now being taught to millions of schoolchildren after being introduced by the South African government seven years ago.Laerskool Kempton Park on the edge of Johannesburg was one of the first schools to introduce the subject with the aim of improving food security. This is a serious challenge in a country where an estimated 19.7 million people, or around 30% of the population, experience moderate levels of food insecurity, meaning that they struggle to afford enough food for a healthy, balanced diet. Bringing the farm to school Aquaponics is a way of supporting communities to access food in a sustainable and efficient way. The solution is simple: fish waste is turned into available nutrients by bacteria in the water. Plants absorb these nutrients and the cleaned water is returned to the fish tank. There are multiple benefits to this approach. The system doesn’t require chemical fertilisers, soil or large tracts of land. It is also highly efficient, with recirculated water being used over and over again. This is an important feature in areas of South Africa that experience drought or unpredictable weather. Agricultural subsidies can be repurposed for a just and sustainable rural transition Aquaponics can offer a range of benefits depending on the local context. In South Africa, townships in major cities such as Johannesburg don’t always have the space to produce their own food, while in other places, such as the Northern Cape, extreme weather is making agriculture much harder. Learners participating in a practical aquaponics lesson in Kempton Park. Image: INMED Learners participating in a practic