Growing More Than Food
At NHK Randburg, we believe that faith should take root beyond the walls of the church.
Our Aquaponics Project, situated on our church grounds, is one of the ways in which we seek to connect faith, sustainability and practical service to the community.
Aquaponics is an innovative growing system in which fish and plants work together in a continuous cycle. Water from the fish tanks provides nutrients for plants growing in the greenhouse, while the plants help to clean the water before it is returned to the fish. The result is a highly efficient way of producing fresh food while making responsible use of water and available space.
But for us, the vision is bigger than growing vegetables.
The project represents an opportunity to contribute to food security, skills development, training and greater self-reliance. Fresh produce is grown and packaged on site, while the broader vision includes creating opportunities for people to learn how sustainable food production can become a source of nourishment, knowledge and possibility.
It is a practical expression of something we deeply believe:
Church is not only a place where people gather. It is a place from which people are sent to serve.
Through projects such as Aquaponics, we hope to continue building bridges between our congregation and our community, caring for creation and finding practical, sustainable ways to make a difference.
Belong. Build. Serve.
In association with the Desmond Tutu Programme to End Global Hunger, Fresh Ministries has designed and set up a standardized, fully functional, two thousand two hundred (2,200) square feet (204 square meters) vertical aquaponics farm. Aquaponics combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a symbiotic growing environment where plants and fish thrive. A well-managed vertical aquaponics farm can:
• Produce up to nineteen (19) times more heads of lettuce than a traditional farm of the same size.
• Consume ninety-five (95) percent less water in delivering its crop.
• Add zero (0) damaging pesticides to waterways.
• Eliminate adverse climate impacts via its solar power electrical deployment.
Accordingly, Fresh Ministries has built a support team based on quality, accuracy, and impeccable service. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, with regional offices in Johannesburg, South Africa, and Nairobi, Kenya, the support organization is enhanced by both technical support helpdesk software, with remote access options, and systems that provide visibility into the historical and current data related to each Partner installation. These facilities have an immediate, significant impact and create a sustainable platform for continuing well into the future. Further, these sustainable production systems directly benefit communities in four (4) ways:
• Direct consumption of high-quality organic produce. Each greenhouse will continuously feed almost two hundred (200) people for at least fifteen (15) years.
• Knowledge imparted via the extensive training program that will persist for generations.
• Direct employment by either participating in the initial construction or working to grow produce.
• Economic multiplier created by entrepreneurship.
By combining our resources, expertise, and shared commitment to sustainability, we can establish innovative and educational projects that empower the community with food security, economic opportunities, and environmental stewardship.
