In many parts of South Africa, children are sent to school hungry. With high levels of poverty, latest statistics report that three million children in South Africa experience household hunger. Such hunger and poor nutrition causes nearly half (45%) of all deaths in children under five.
INMED Partnerships for Children is combatting these grim statistics by building aquaponic systems in South African schools and communities. Today marks the launch of INMED’s commercial-scale unit at the Hoer Skool Carel de Wet, a technical high school in Vanderbijlpark in the Johannesburg area of Gauteng province. Sponsored by Air Products, a local industrial gas products and chemicals manufacturer, these systems will provide vegetables and fish crops that will supplement and enhance the nutritional value of school meals. The school will also have the opportunity to sell surplus produce, as well as any produce harvested during school holidays, at local markets to generate income.
INMED will also provide education on the aquaponic system and related topics to the students, the parents, school food handlers and other community members. Participants will learn about solar energy power, fish and plant biology, climate change, natural resource conservation, sustainable agriculture, clean energy technologies, and the income-generating potential of aquaponics.
