Indawo Yethemba Farms is a joint venture between Hands of Hope SA and Indawo Yethemba Trust.
Our goal is to establish a successful aquaponics farm on two acres at the back of the campus which over time will provide recurring revenue to support the needs and the growth of the school.

What is Aquaponics?

Aquaponics is a closed loop system of agriculture combining aquaculture (fish) with hydroponics (growing plants in water). Nutrients in the system are supplied by the fish which produce ammonia as a waste product. The waste passes thru media beds where microbes and bacteria break the ammonia down into nitrites and nitrates. The nitrates in turn flow into deep water culture beds where plants grow in rafts, their roots suspended in the water soak up the nutrients and accelerate growth in the plants. Extracting the nutrient from the water, the water is purified and returned to the fish tanks where the cycle begins again.

Why Aquaponics?

Aquaponics is water-efficient and space-efficient. When we first began exploring opportunities for a business that would support the Trust, South Africa was in a seven-year long drought. Traditional farming requires vast amounts of water and rural agriculture was suffering. Aquaponics, by contrast, requires about 2% of the water needed by traditional farming; most of the water is recycled within the system with only a small amount being lost to evaporation. At the rear of our campus was a long narrow piece of land of about two acres that was not being used. The combination seemed to be the right solution. One four thousand square foot greenhouse could produce 5,000 heads of lettuce each month, and over 60,000 heads each year, in addition to other fruits, vegetables, and herbs. We have the potential to build as many as 15 greenhouses on the two-acre plot, and the potential to produce almost one million heads of lettuce annually.

How are we implementing Aquaponics?

Our first Aquaponics module was built with loans from investors who shared our vision to be wise stewards of the land the Lord had entrusted to us. In 2022, with loans from these investors, we built our first greenhouse of 4,000 square feet. The fish house directly opposite the greenhouse was adapted from one of the small cottages on the property which had fallen into disuse. We were able to repurpose the cottage and create a fish house and work area.
Investors will be repaid over a five-year period from the profits of the farm, but their loans to us will continue to generate income to the school for years to come. Theirs truly is a gift that keeps on giving.
Future greenhouse modules will be built thru a combination of loans from investors and from profits from the aquaponics farm.
If you are interested in loaning us money for our next aquaponics module, view a short video HERE or contact Glenn Kendall at gkendall@handsofhopesa.com.