AQUAPONIC

Aquaponic is a joint project and community project between Institute of Tropical Aquaculture, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Department of Fisheries Terengganu, Departrment of Agriculture Terengganu, WHK Integrated Sdn Bhd and Committee of Kawasan Rukun Tetangga Kg. Telaga Batin. This project has been set-up at Kg. Telaga Batin, Seberang Takir, Kuala Terengganu.

Aquaponic is the combination between aquaculture (fish) and cultivation plant (hydroponic) without soil in the recirculatiig system (RAS). Waste from fish becomes fertilizer to plant and the microbial reaction cleans the water so the water can be re-used.Kampung Telaga Batin has been chosen to set up a pioneer project to run the system. Department of Fisheries Terengganu has contribute a mount of money to set up the system including fish tanks, plant trays and fish seedling. Meanwhile, Department of Agriculture Terengganu contributes on setting up the green house and plant seeds. AKUATROP and WHK Integrated Sdn Bhd give the expertise and technical advisor for the system. Committee of Kawasan Rukun Tetangga Kg. Telaga Batin prepared a place to set up the system and choose the participant to run the project.

The participants that have been chosen to run this project show the effort to ensure this project achieved its goals to help poor people to get extra money for their life. This project showed good result and the participants enjoyed in running this project. This project becomes one of the attractive factors to this place. According to the Chairman of the KRT Telaga Batin, Tn Haji Che Husin Che Muda, in the year 2008, there are 5 visitors from KRT in various places such as KRT Gajah Mati, Kelantan, KRT Sarawak, KRT Rasah, Negeri Sembilan, KRT Cheras and KRT Keramat. Most of the feedback from the visitors, they were deeply interested with the system because it produce two product in a same time. This project also has been visited by Department of Agriculture Sarawak and East Coast Economic Region (ECER) committee. Both of these agencies are so interested to set-up this system at their place. Aquaponic system also has been identified as one of the project in ECER and the discussion to set-up this system at Rantau Manis Kelantan still in progress.

This project also gets its attention from the Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry. On The 20 December 2008, the minister came to visit this place. In his speech he encourages the community and the participant of this project to work with spirit to ensure this project achieved the objective. This project also can be one of the eco-tourism for the Kg. Telaga Batin Communities.

Article by: En. Mohammad Haniff Mohd Yusoff

(tel: 09-6683147, haniff@umt.edu.my)

Audit by : Nurul Hayati Ismail