Agricultural Innovations for Food Security and Income

Generation in Urban and Conflict Settings:

Lessons Learned From Gaza, the West Bank and
Ethiopia

Chris Somerville
Consultant with FAO West Bank and Gaza Strip
Christopher.Somerville@fao.org

Piloting Aquaponics, Hydroponics and Wicking

Bed Production Systems: Project Details
location

Gaza Strip

West Bank

Ethiopia

Project Production Packages

Date

Project Type

15 Small-scale aquaponic
units

2012

Humanitarian: quick impact,

food and nutrition security

3 commercial-sized
hydroponic units for small
Holder farmers

2015
(ongoing)

Development: R&D of
alternative, resource
efficient, agriculture
livelihoods

12 Small-scale aquaponic
units

(2012-2013)

Humanitarian: quick impact,

food and nutrition security

20 Small-scale hydroponic
units & 40 wicking bed
systems

(2013-2014)

Humanitarian: quick impact

food and nutrition security

(2013-2014)

Development: sustainable
aquaculture development
through the smart use of
water

6 Small-scale aquapoincs
units & 3 demo units at 3
university locations

Humanitarian Project Type: Aquaponics

in i) West Bank & ii) Gaza Strip
Location

Production
Packages

Date

Gaza Strip

15 aquaponic
systems

2012

West Bank

12 aquaponic
systems

2013

Grow bed units

Production Package:
1000 Liter Fish tank
4 sq. meter Grow bed capacity
Pumps, pipes, test kits,
seedlings, fish etc.
$700-$1000 per package
Target Group:
Vulnerable, female headed,
urban Households

Aquaponics
Training

Humanitarian Project Type: i) Hydroponics

& ii)Wicking Beds in the West Bank
Location
West Bank
(only)

Production Packages

Date

20 Small scale
hydroponic systems

201314

20 rooftop wicking
bed systems

201314

i) Hydroponic units
Production Package:
8 m NFT plant production
2 m Grow bed production
Hydroponic fertilizer
EC & pH meters, pumps, pipes,
seedlings, etc.
$500-700 per package
Target Group:
Vulnerable, female-headed,
urban peri-urban Households

ii) Wicking Bed Production..

Production Package:
4 m wicking bed production
Organic fertilizer, worms
Pipes, seedlings, soil mix etc.
$200-300 per package

Aqua, hydro and wicking beds in Humanitarian

Interventions: Lessons Learnt
Aquaponics not ideal for humanitarian projects
targeting the poorest HHs Too complex for short, quick impact projects in areas with no
prior experience extensive training/coaching required

Strong correlation between educational capacity and

productivity
Target HHs with existing agriculture experience who are
also motivated to succeed
Affordable access to high quality inputs essential for
sustainability. fingerlings, seeds, hydroponic solution,
test meters etc

Development Project type:

Aquaponics in Ethiopia
Production Packages
1. 6 Small-scale aquapoincs units
2. 2 demo units at 2 university
research locations

Date

Project Goal

(2013-14)

Sustainable aquaculture
development through the smart
use of water

Activities/Units Completed:
2 demonstration sites 3
units each (2 Media Bed
and 1 Grow Pipe)
6 Beneficiary units
Technical Training

Aquaponics in Ethiopia: Lessons

Learnt
In new regions, ensure adequate time
for extensive analysis on local available
materials and inputs
Unit design dependent on location and
goals ( no one design to fit all locations)

Ensure implementing partners have

administrative and HR capacity to
successfully complete all tasks
Outputs:
1. FAO Aquaponics Manual
2. Further funding and expansion of Aquaponics in
Ethiopia with University of Addis Ababa

Development Project Type:

Commercial hydroponics in Gaza Strip

Production Packages

Date

Project Goal

2 commercial-sized hydroponics units

1 research unit at university locations

(2015
ongoing)

R&D of alternative, resource

efficient, agriculture livelihoods

Commercial
hydroponics.
Production Package:
3400 plant capacity on 115 sq
meter production space
Simplified system design (nonrecirculating hydroponics)
Nursery
Cash assistance for inputs and
labour

Summary of Lessons Learned:

Innovation requiring high educational capacity with only
medium long term returns will take time (years) and
significant knowledge/experience transfer
Project design as important as actual innovation
Be very clear on project goals then design the packages
accordingly:
Nutrition and dietary diversity; Income generation; Support fresh food
availability

To start, identify and work with the most likely candidates to

succeed
Utilize cash assistance for livelihood support when feasible

Focus on teaching principles, not prescriptions

Within humanitarian, food security projects (chronic, than
that acute), innovation should be as simple and as close to
current practices as possible