The bio-agriculture project at Malik Bin Fahm School in the Wilayat of Manah in the Governorate of Al Dakhiliyah is the first project of its kind at the level of the governorate’s schools. It focuses on the installation of an aquaponics system, which includes the cultivation of permanently produced crops that feed on fish residues without using soil, fertilizers or pesticides, and contributes to reducing water depletion and production of high quality crops.
Salem Al-Abri, a vocational guidance specialist at Malik bin Fahm School and the project supervisor, says that the bio-agriculture project was established in coordination between the Ministry of Agricultural and Fisheries Wealth and Water Resources and the Ministry of Education. the idea of the project is based on the reciprocal system between fish waste and crops grown automatically using modern technologies, so that the plant growth depends mainly on fish waste, and the fish also benefit from what plants produce without using the soil.
“the project aims to introduce students to modern techniques in the agricultural and fisheries fields, train them to implement self-project management and provide a practical means that allows them to apply the knowledge and scientific theories they have studied in agricultural production. This is in addition to supporting the school economically. The project also aims to produce high quality crops, conserve energy sources, create a partnership between the school and the local community, and help individuals build a coexistence approach with economic changes.”, al Abri said.
Al Abri indicated that the project’s mechanism of action is based on growing a group of leafy vegetables such as lettuce and other crops and raising fish inside the greenhouses. these greenhouses contribute to creating good climatic conditions to a large degree for good plant growth, in addition to increasing the yield in terms of quality and quantity, and the growth and reproduction of fish.
The seeds are planted in perforated plastic agricultural cups. one seed is planted in each cup and watered with the water from the fish tank until it grows. Approximately 250 fish are cultured in the tank according to the carrying capacity of the culture basin. The fish residues include high nutritional value that allow the plant to grow well.
Al Abri explained that the process of harvesting the cultivated crops is done manually in the greenhouses, in batches. The number of harvest times varies according to the crop and the period of growth, some of which take about a month from the beginning of planting seedlings until growth is completed and harvest time is due. As for the fish, after it reaches the required size, it is sold and replaced with other small fish.
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