養耕共生: a sustainable solution to food insecurity? A system that produces nutritious food using less water could feed remote communities. But what about electricity access? Fish farmed in an aquaponics system could provide a nutritious sustainable food source. Photograph: Kevin Schafer / Alamy/Alamy What is aquaponics? Aquaponics is a way of producing food that combines aquaculture(farming aquatic animals such as snails and fish) with hydroponics(cultivating plants in water) in a symbiotic environment. How does it work? The aquatic animals feed on the plants, and the water is fed through a system which breaks down the fishes’ excretions into nitrates and nitrites, which are nutrients for the plants. So there’s no need to buy extra food for the fish. Could aquaponics be used by farmers in developing countries? “Aquaponics has huge potential to be used by developing countries - both as commercial ventures and a way to provide food,” says Leslie Ter Morshuizen, owner and fo...