WHY IS AQUAPONICS THE BEST SOLUTION IN COMPARISON TO OTHERS?
GM Products
There are many issues and concerns that occur in regards to genetically modified produce one of the main being the fact that it is defying the laws of nature. when genetic modification takes place the natural DNA of both animals and crops are changed and reconstructed through a method known as genetic engineering. This process is unnatural and due to this could have unpredictable and damaging effects on both the health of individuals and our environment. Unlike Genetic modification, aquaponics allows the growth process of both animal and crop to grow naturally, relying on methods such as the nitrogen cycle in order to produce quality foods.
Also, genetic engineering was created in order to make a profit and thus does not benefit those in third world countries. Companies of whom produce genetically modified seed will often will often patent their crops and alter the DNA so that the crop grown from the seed they supply can only be used for food purposes and cannot be used for regrowth in the seasons to come. This means that growers/farmers would have to buy the same expensive seed from companies annually, which for many third world countries is simply too costly.
The main purpose of genetic Modification is to create presentable produce for a convenience and profit. in order to create presentable crops and meat the DNA is altered to insure the size and growth rate of produce are both far larger, and that crops are resistant to specific pests and disease. By speeding up the stages of vital development for crops and meat, and increasing the size vastly, it is highly likely both will lack high nutrient content, and thus overall quality. An investigation carried out by the FDA looked further into the genetically modified soybean and found the nutritional value was decreased, and that the product contained unhealthy amounts of a toxic herbicide known as Glyphosate. Therefore by consuming Genetically modified products we are limiting our nutritional intake and risking our health, over all making it an unsuitable solution to feed the world. Where as Aquaponics, produces food at a fast rate, at the same time as maintaining the nutritional content, and causing no harm to health, making it an appropriate solution to feed the world.
Vertical and rooftop gardens
Vertical farming refers to a form of agricultural system that grows crops in a high concentrated, layer formation, and typically takes place within enclosed multi story buildings found in urban areas. An issue that occurs due to the growth process of plants taking place within an enclosed space, rather than out in the open, is that primary pollinators such as bees and other insects are unable to gain access, to the plants. This becomes an issue when considering that up to 80% of world wide pollination occurs via bees, meaning this factor could potentially limit the yield obtained from crops. As a substitute for these primary pollinators, less convenient and more labor intensive alternatives must be used therefore by using the aquaponics system of which can be both an indoor or outdoor operation, pollination can be performed naturally and throughout most countries.
Also when considering that Vertical farming takes place within multi story buildings/skyscrapers, it is clear this solution is limited to urban areas only, meaning it is unsuitable for certain countries. Where as Aquaponic systems can be altered to suit the climate and environment of a country, thus can be used throughout most countries.
Rooftop gardens can be a potential safety hazard. This can be due to:
- heavy weight on roof - roof top gardens involve the positioning of both soil and plant pots on top of an individuals roof. This will often cause great strain on a house. In order to safely perform rooftop gardening reinforcements must be applied to a housing structure which can be quite costly, and often to expensive for individuals.
- Another thing that must be installed prior to creating a rooftop garden is an accurate drainage system, as with out it, leaking may occur through even small cracks and openings. Aquaponics is a land based solution and thus is not effected by this issue.
- Higher insurance cost - due to the various safety issues increasing the risk of an accident, insurance companies will charge greater amounts
Waste Management
Aquaponics is a way of producing quality produce in a sustainable and efficient manner, and has been around for many years. It is far quicker and more efficient than other solutions such as waste management. in order for food waste management to make progress, the current attitudes and habits of western countries must change completely. This is a reasonably large ask, and may take years and years to establish a system where people do not waste food. In this sense, food waste management would obviously not be a good solution to global food security, as we need a solution that is going to be highly effective and gains instant support from both western and and third world countries, and we need this solution fast, otherwise the world is going to go into crisis. However, as aquaponics does not require individuals to change their lifestyle on a mass scale, they are far more likely to gain support from individuals, meaning it can be established far quicker and help to maintain food security, and thus making aquaponics the best solution.
Conclusion
Aquaponics is efficient sustainable and over all the best solution to feed the world. It is easy to run and uses much less water than traditional farming and genetically modified products and will allow us to see to the needs of food security at a faster rate than what a solution such as food waste management would. Food produced within Aquaponic systems are rich in nutrients, and unlike genetic modification have no potential risks to the health of both the environment or those consuming the produce. Aquaponics currently have a small number of flaws although they are minor and with further research and investigation can be easily over come.
In conclusion, it is vital that we as a society begin to look toward better food producing methods. If society continues to overlook our current situation and continues on using unsustainable and inefficient methods, the future of both our environment and agricultural industry may see a downfall. There are many different ways to fix the issue of food security, but realistically aquaponics is the most environmentally friendly and efficient way of farming, that could easily satisfy the needs of all people and suit all climates around the world.
