Role of aquaponics in the sustenance of coastal India – Aquaponics is a solution for modern agriculture in ecologically sensitive Indian mangrove Sundarbans: A review

Abstract

Providing a concrete global food guarantee has been the vision of scientists, world leaders, and nations. With a constantly growing per capita income in India, the demand for fish is on the rise. Over exploitation of aquaculture in mangrove areas, have resulted in loss of local habitat, and the restricted shrimp exports. This is a critical environmental imbalance as the mangroves are the lungs of our planet. India is the world’s second largest food fish producer and newer sustainable technologies must be adopted. Aquaponics is a combination of aquaculture together with growing vegetables and crops without the use of fertilizers. Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) involving aquasilviculture can be employed to integrate food with bio mitigation of the Sundarbans. Its application has potential in the Indian Sundarbans as a method for environment-friendly aquaculture. We investigate the possible use of aquaponics as a means for food production without compromising the mangrove wetlands.