Aquaculture in South Africa is emerging as one of the most promising methods of ensuring national food security.
Also known as fish farming, aquaculture is the controlled cultivation of freshwater and saltwater populations for consumption.
3 billion people in the world depend on fish as their primary source of protein.
Due to extreme over-fishing depleting natural fish stocks, as well as plastic pollution of the oceans, there is a dire need to develop alternatives to feed a population nearing 10 billion by mid-century.
Fish supply not only good quality protein, but essential fatty acids and important vitamins and minerals.
Although aquaculture is still in its infancy in South Africa, this industry has the potential to dramatically improve the economic status of the country, contributing to the eradication of poverty and malnutrition.
Aquaculture opens channels for employment, enhances food security and is truly sustainable.
Furthermore, with its excellent water quality, stable pH levels and closely monitored and controlled environments, the quality of land-based farmed fish is arguably better than that of both wild and ocean farmed fish.
Well beyond world population growth rates, African populations are forecast to expand exponentially over the next 30 years, with food security an increasingly important issue for the projected 2.4 billion mouths we have to feed.
Furthermore, with the potentially negative effects of global warming on the soil quality of the least-prepared continent, agricultural production levels are likely to diminish.
With aquaculture, farmers are able to raise molluscs, fish, algae and nutritious aquatic plants such as various types of seaweed in controlled environments which are, with the right equipment, relatively easy to maintain.
Furthermore, indoor or tunnel-farmed fish spawn year-round at incredibly rapid rates, which means that supply will always meet demand.
We recently hosted a team of delegates from The University of Oldenburg in Germany who visited our Propella Fish Farm to observe its operations.
The professors, lecturers and students were able to see how the Rydawi Aquaculture Production Unit works with the half-a-thousand Tilapia within the CIAC-AquaVentures system.
Furthermore, they could observe the cutting-edge Charmel Irrigation & Agricultural Controller (CIAC) which offers a complete solution for the management of aquaculture projects, including water movement and power monitoring.
Lastly, the delegates had the opportunity to discuss water quality monitoring systems as well as the multi-stage loadcell fish feeder prototypes at the farm which academically linked to the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.
With an ongoing commitment to support the South African economy, Allen Associates helps build a solid foundation for intensive aquaculture, turning IIoT and AI advances into productive realities.
CIAC measuring equipment offers comprehensive functionality, key to monitoring and control of environmental factors crucial to viable aquaculture.
For more information about our products or the benefits of aquaculture, please feel free to contact us.
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