This post is open currently and will be updated over coming weeks
Joseph reached out for help with his fish farming project when the pond started to dry out and the fish die. Sector39 have helped with a donation to help save the fish, but as permaculture teachers we want to work with him to help fix the problem.
S39 Academy of Permaculture is already working in the Homa Bay area and as a training partnership we are keen to develop relationships with community leaders in the area.
Joseph Ogola asked for help in early August for help to improve his fish pond and save his fish as in a prolonged dry spell it was beginning to fail. We made a donation for a lorry of fresh water to save the project, but it is clear that changes need to be made to prevent the same problem from happening again. This blog post will capture the story.
In making a donation towards the project I have requested in return that Joseph works with us to find a permaculture solution to this problem. Additionally S39 are planning to run a full PDC in Homa Bay county together with PermoAfrica Centre also from the same county in Kenya in 2021. So, if we are successful we will also create an opportunity for learning and sharing of that learning.
Joseph Ouma Ogolla,
a little background
GAPSNews: (October 2017) Teacher Joseph Ouma Ogolla Founder #JTenVillageProject has started a tradition in Homa Bay #Kenya and he is at it again doing what he loves – teaching children. Check out this video of Beloved Teacher Joseph at a neighbouring village teaching children to plant and grow their food.
JTEN Village Project is a registered Kenyan Community Based Organisation (CBO) to support Joseph to care for 30 orphans and 29 widows.
The problem
Any or all of these need to be considered and may be causing water to evaporate too quickly, for the water to become low in oxygen, and also for the fish to die off.
- Too much evaporation
- Not enough shade
- Too few oxygenator plants
- Build up of nitrogen and algae in water
- Insufficient oxygenation in still water
- The design is not resilient enough for longer dry periods
Elements of the solution
In this gallery I am collecting images to illustrate the points needed to address the problems and challenges identified above.
Permaculture is joined up thinking
A fish farm can also produce other valuable crops which also help maintain the fish farm.
The systems which clean and re-oxygenate the water can also benefit the farmer and create other outputs as valuable as the fish.
The images above are a collection of ideas to help understand the problem and also see how to begin to address it. Step one is to understand the underlying science. Step 2 is to create solutions and strategies adapted from locally available materials.
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