The Fish Farm
The Solution
The Fish Farm is a patented, micro-intensive fish farm designed within the confines of a 12-metre shipping container, delivering 2–4 tons of tilapia (or other species) annually. By placing a series of tanks, filters and pumps inside a container, the product immediately delivers a profitable, affordable, transportable and replicable aquaculture business into poor urban or rural communities.The Prototype comprises 6 tanks (in a row) of 1,500 liters each, a 200 liters solids filter (to deal with the solid waste) and a 5,000 liters bio-filter (to deal with the chemical waste), a circulation pump and an aerator. The Fish Farm dumps 1% of its volume per day to maintain water quality. A fish farmer would be able to supply this fertilized water to the vegetable farmers. The required space for the Fish-Farm is minimal. The energy for its operation can be obtained by solar power. The Fish Farm is a simple and environmentally compatible way of ensuring food security, creating jobs and making profits.
Background Information
With marine fish stocks depleting, the demand for sustainably produced and community based fish continues to rise. Globally, aquaculture is characterized by high investment, low employment and high technical skills and installations. The WorldFishCenter.org site informs readers: “Advances in these areas can pay huge dividends in reducing hunger and poverty because fish and other aquatic organisms are a major source of food and income for poor people in developing countries. Millions more can benefit from increased investment in fisheries and sustainable aquaculture to make this sector a more powerful engine for poverty reduction.”
Social Impact
The solution supports sustainable aquaculture, which creates benefits by saving resources. Furthermore, the Fish Farm can contribute to a balanced diet due to the high quality protein in fish. Due to the moderate price of the fish, it is an affordable alternative and healthy protein supply for the people. Generating income, the fish can be sold to restaurants and/or directly to the population at retail prices. Also, communities can play a part in the production of food for the fish (e.g. maggot farms, snail farms, algae farms), as well as, in the filleting and packaging services. Each Fish Farm can bring 1–5 people into economic productivity.
Facts & Figures
Costs:
A price of 40,000-00 USD per fully-fitted containerised fish farm includes:
- Fish food for 6 months to first harvest
- 12m insulated high-cube shipping container
- Solar panels to enable the Fish Farm to run off-grid
- 1 week technical training and assistance with the set-up and commissioning of the Fish Farm
Further conditions:
- A minimum supply of reasonably clean water of 250 litres per day
- A level ground area for the placement of the container(s)
Used by Countries

Africa: South Africa
Key Facts
Organization: The Business Place - South Africa
Website: http://thefishfarm.net
Contact: Alan Fleming
Email: alan@thefishfarm.net
Used by: South Africa
-
1249d | urbanprotein
@DuPontAfrica: Watch #HorizonsAfrica at 9PM to learn about @urbanprotein fish farms that create employment and help combat crime throug…
-
1249d | urbanprotein
@ChristinHunter: Fascinating episode of #HorizonsAfrica on DStv channel 411 tonight @ 9PM. Topic: healthier, smarter and more economical…
-
1305d | urbanproteinSiemens' Empowering People Network event in Uganda: Lesson 1: Communication skill/strategy is THE top driver for an effective organisation.
-
1305d | urbanprotein
@Emp_Ppl_Award: And now the task ahead is to have the participants create their own communication strategy. This should be fun! #epOnsite
-
1375d | urbanprotein@huber_rolf & @RebeccaOttmann inspect the fish & aquaponics unit at The Fish Farm @urbanprotein today. Viva Siemens! http://t.co/kwyzO4Aq6m
-
1375d | urbanprotein@SiemensStiftung - @huber_rolf & @RebeccaOttmann fly into Cape Town to visit The Fish Farm today. Amazing support! http://t.co/iXdjQwKwfD
-
1409d | urbanproteinThe Fish Farm Cape Town gets a visit by BBC and Reuters this week. #Empoweringpeople through urban aquaculture always makes for good news.
-
1630d | urbanprotein
@WoolworthsGBJ: Tonight we talk about over fishing & responsible aquaculture with ‘Farmed Kabeljou’ supplier @Oceanwisesa & @WWFSASSI - …
-
1635d | urbanprotein
-
1635d | urbanproteinHere's a photo of one of our earlier #aquaponics systems cc @sarnissa @Fabricius4 #urban #foodsecurity http://t.co/osiGte5hzX
Press-Kit
- Press Release including Press Pictures
- Project Details
- Key visual empowering people. Award
- Logo of the empowering people. Award