By Abdullahi Lukman
Aquaponics technology is emerging as a promising option for improving household food security, nutrition and income by allowing farmers to produce fish and vegetables simultaneously while using limited land and water.
The integrated farming system was demonstrated at the 2026 Nanenane exhibition in Mwanza by the Fisheries Education and Training Agency (FETA), which highlighted its potential for small-scale farmers seeking affordable and sustainable production methods.
Aquaponics combines fish farming and vegetable cultivation in a recirculating water system. Water from a fish pond is pumped through pipes into containers where vegetables are grown, allowing plants to absorb nutrients from fish waste before the filtered water returns to the pond.
FETA Senior Trainer Ndaro explained that fish waste contains nitrates that are converted into nitrogen, an essential nutrient for plant growth. The process enables the same water to be reused while reducing waste and the need for additional fertiliser.
The compact system can be constructed using materials such as plastic ponds, PVC and steel pipes, buckets, wood and planting containers. Its mobile design makes it suitable for households with limited land and allows farmers to establish production units in open spaces with adequate sunlight and ventilation.
Vegetables grown through the system can mature within two to three months, while crops such as tomatoes can also be cultivated. In some countries, aquaponics has been adapted for other crops, including rice.
Farmers can rear tilapia and catfish in the system. Fingerlings weighing between five and 10 grammes are stocked in the ponds and can reach harvest size of about 250 to 500 grammes in roughly six months, depending on feeding and management.
Tilapia requires a protein-rich diet for optimum growth, while catfish can be more expensive to raise because of their feeding requirements. With proper nutrition, some fish can exceed one kilogramme within nine months.
The growing demand for fingerlings, particularly from cage-fish farming around Lake Victoria, is creating additional opportunities for farmers to engage in fish breeding and supply.
FETA also trains farmers in fingerling production, including fish selection, egg management, hatching and early-stage feeding. Eggs are carefully monitored before being transferred to controlled environments with suitable temperatures and oxygen levels.
According to FETA, newly hatched fish initially depend on their yolk sacs for nutrition before being introduced to specialised feed. After about 21 days, the fingerlings can be moved into the main production pond.
The agency cautions that fingerling production requires close supervision, as poor management can result in egg losses, disease and low survival rates.
Visitors to the Mwanza exhibition welcomed the technology, describing it as potentially more accessible to family farmers than capital-intensive systems such as deepwater fish cages.
However, FETA acknowledges that wider adoption will depend on farmers having access to training, technical support and start-up capital. Proper management is also essential to maintain water quality, fish health and vegetable productivity.
The agency is encouraging smallholders to adopt aquaponics as a way of diversifying household income, improving access to nutritious food and making more efficient use of scarce land and water.
With sustained training, investment and institutional support, aquaponics could provide a practical pathway for strengthening small-scale farming, particularly in communities facing land constraints, water shortages and climate-related agricultural challenges.
