Saving Wildlife

An aquaponics farm in Egypt is taking the lead in organic food production in the country. She says it is the first commercial project of its kind in Egypt, as Al-Bustan Aquaponics Farm supplies agricultural products and fresh fish to those who have switched to eating organic products in Cairo. Greenhouses are the ideal place to grow ingredients for delicious salads that are in high demand in most Egyptian meals. Here it is protected from weather factors and is grown using a combined hydroponic system or animal-plant hydroponics, known as (Aquaponics). Aquaponics is a method of combining agriculture and aquaculture, in which fish and other aquatic animals are raised together. In this symbiotic relationship, the fish fertilize the plants, and in return, the vegetables purify the water in which the fish live. The farm, located a little away from the hustle and bustle of Cairo, covers approximately three thousand square meters of land, including an eight-acre olive grove. Al Bustan owner Fares Farraj has experience in economics but switched to agriculture after working in the banking sector. He says that the agricultural sector in Egypt faces many problems and the Aquaponics system can provide a solution to some of them, and although it seems simple and easy, it is much more difficult than it seems. He explains that it is important to get the design and planning right from the beginning. But it is also important to maintain the highest level of maintenance. The controlled climate inside the greenhouse, kept cool using fans during the summer months, allows the farm to grow green leafy plants that wither on hot days if they are outside the confines of the greenhouse. For more on Euronews: Egyptian official: Egypt’s oil reserves are sufficient for 3 months and sugar for 4 months Ambitious agricultural projects in Egypt Study: Do organic foods reduce the risk of cancer? According to Farraj, the farm produces a total of 65 to 70 tons of vegetables annually and 25 tons of fish. Its goal is to provide tilapia fish free of chemical compounds and vegetables grown using a combined hydroponics system. Establishing aquaponics farms costs a lot of money, and this means that what is produced will be sold at a high price, and therefore, this farm usually sells its products to the organic eaters of Cairo’s elite. Farraj explains that it is better to build such farms on abandoned lands than to destroy an agricultural area. While the cost of setting up an aquaponics farm is expensive, the operational cost is much lower as no fertilizers are used and it requires ninety percent less water than traditional agriculture. Almost all of the water on the farm is recycled and the trees in the orchard benefit from it as well. The farm's organic methods also mean they do not use harsh pesticides to protect the vegetables, but rather use specific bacteria to combat pest infestations. The workers at the orchard farm arrive to work early, and harvest all the vegetables early in the morning in order to serve them fresh to customers every day.