INMED Launches Aquaponics Program for Children with Disabilities in South Africa

Students who attend Laerskool Kempton Park (a primary school outside Johannesburg, South Africa) had surprisingly clean hands after planting seedlings in their new aquaponics garden, which was launched yesterday by INMED Partnerships for Children, INMED South Africa and Air Products South Africa. That’s because there’s no dirt!

“INMED has pioneered the use of school-based aquaponics to improve the nutrition and food security of children in disadvantaged communities in South Africa for more than 10 years,” says Dr. Linda Pfeiffer, President and CEO of INMED Partnerships for Children. “Air Products was our first—and has been our most consistent—partner to expand aquaponics to primary and secondary schools.”

The new aquaponics system at Laerskool Kempton Park is the third such school-based system INMED Partnerships for Children and INMED South Africa have installed in partnership with Air Products South Africa. In addition to the aquaponics system (a combination of hydroponics and fish farming), INMED will include a more traditional garden—with a twist. Because many of the students at Laerskool Kempton Park have a disability or learning challenges, INMED will install a special sensory garden, featuring a barefoot walking path of various textures, water and sound walls, fragrant fruit trees and vines, brightly colored plants and garden toys. Teachers will use the aquaponics system and the sensory garden as teaching tools and therapy for their students. And because aquaponics is not labor intensive and does not use chemicals or fertilizers, the children will assist with the planting and harvesting as well as care and feeding of the fish.

For more information about INMED’s aquaponics and adaptive agriculture programs, visit https://inmed.org/aquaponics.

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