CHALLENGES FACING A RURAL ENTREPRENEURIAL FARMER IN PLANNING AND DEVELOPING AN AQUAPONICS FACILITY IN SOUTH AFRICA: A CASE STUDY FROM THE EASTERN CAPE  

Freshwater aquaculture is considered the oldest fish farming sector in South Africa that, however small in comparison to global trends showed significant increase in production volumes the past two decades.  As the current majority of freshwater finfish aquaculture is commercially produced, there is much opportunity for individuals from rural communities to become involved in subsistence and/or artisanal level aquaculture.  

Several small, medium and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs) wanting to invest in aquaculture have been identified by the National Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) to stimulate socio-economic growth in support of job creation and food security. However, the majority of these rural SMMEs do not have the financial means or skilled capabilities to comply with the numerous environmental authorisations governing the aquaculture sector in South Africa.

In 2014, the National Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) has initiated the Special Needs and Skills Development (SNSD) programme, currently managed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The programme aims to assist rural SMMEs by undertaking a Basic Assessment to obtain Environmental Authorisation (EA) to develop and legally operate an aquaculture facility.

This paper presents a case study from the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, wherein the SNSD programme is assisting a community-based enterprise to obtain EA for the development of an aquaponics facility near Coffee Bay. This enterprise known as Intubayethu Aquaponics plans to establish an aquaponics facility producing vegetables and Nile tilapia in a self-contained system.  

Challenges faced by this rural entrepreneur in obtaining their EA include inter alia the inability to produce a detailed project description, an adequate business plan and detailed technical designs of their proposed aquaponics system. Further complications arose from lack of sufficient funding, limited knowledge of the regulatory environmental requirements pertaining to aquaculture, and landowner conflict with the Ntubeni Tribal Authority. In addition to these challenges, the proposed facility is situated in a protected area which may not be deemed feasible by the authority. Based on the sensitivity of the proposed site, an alternative site will be included and assessed in the Basic Assessment. This paper will provide details on the process followed and the outcome thereof.