Bijlage 3: Intergated Farming System 51 The “Integrated Farming System” of AquaFarmingConsult reached the finales of the Business Plan Contest of the Dutch NGO Agriterra. The northern part of Ethiopia has to contend with extreme drought almost every year. Although the rainfall is sufficient for good crop yields, the partition of the rainfall through the year is not good. That causes bad harvests and famine. A UN report predicts more drought and a shortage of fish and agricultural land in the future for Africa. This is already reality in Tigray, a northern province of Ethiopia. And this will become worse if nothing happens. We investigated the possi bilities and made plans to fight these problems on community level. The “Integrated Farming System” (IFS-system)isan integration of poultry/livestock, fish and vegetables. These three strengthen each other. The chicken manure is used (directly and/or indirectly (through algae and plankton)) to feed the fish. The nutrient rich water is used to grow vegetables on substrate (hydroponics). The combination of vege tables and fish is called Aquaponics. Beside the chickens, fish and vegetables also duckweed is produced in ponds. Duckweed isa very efficient absorber of ammonia, nitrate, phospho rous and also salts. Thanks to that quality it is possible to re-circulate the water of the fish ponds for 100%. The use of water can be reduced to the losses by evaporation. The duckweed can be dried and be used as a high protein feedstuff for fish and chickens. The IFS-system can be expanded by for example: fruit trees on the pond dikes, earthworm farming(very good feedstuff for fish and chickens) and biogasproduction on organic wastes (the waste, the compost, can be used for the fertilization of the land). Pagina 58
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