On the 16th of November as part of The Rhisotope initiative a largescale aquaponics unit was launched in Paterson. The event plays a vital role in raising awareness of the issue among local communities.
The founding sponsor of the Rhisotope project, Rosatom launched the aquaponics unit, as well as the education programme in the Eastern Cape. The Aquaponic system was installed by leading aquaponic specialists La Pieus Aqua. The local company is renowned for installing systems at schools, community projects and sites around Africa. The CEO of LPA is an 18-year-old ecology activist Rikalize Reinecke, who started her own aquaculture and aquaponics farm in 2014.
“Aquaponics is the most innovative farming method of the new century. This system gives you the opportunity to process food in your backyard and generate an income. One system can feed a family of four to six people sustainably”, - said Ms. Reinecke.
Today the aquaponics unit is run by local volunteers together with The Amakhala Foundation which recently won the prestigious Rhodes University Community Engagement Partner of the Year Award. The produce will support families of local volunteers and provide local orphanage with nutritious vegetables. The first harvest has already been collected and sold to the nearest Safari Lodge.
Rosatom Central and Southern Africa, a regional office of the Russian state energy corporation, is the key partner of the project. Its CEO, Ryan Collyer, is confident that this aquaponic unit is going to make a difference in the daily lives of this community. Mr. Collyer also pointed out that the development of aquaponics is key to food security in the long term. According to him, the aquaponics principle is based on the concept of sustainable development and environmental responsibility, which is directly in line with Rosatom’s core values.
A special video was created to show how the aquaponics work and share the community program with the audience. The video can be found on social media of partner organizations or via link on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3cPscBB
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Rosatom.
About the Rhisotope Project:
The Rhino Project is an initiative between WITS University, top global nuclear scientists, researchers, South African rhino owners and the best wildlife veterinarians in the world to significantly reduce rhino poaching. In short, by placing radioactive material in rhino’s horn, we create an effective demand reduction and rhino protection tool. It is giant leap forward in the protection of this endangered species. If the appetite for horn lowers so will poaching, the two challenges are not mutually exclusive and are inextricably linked.
The purpose of the project is to create a lasting and effective means of significantly lowering the amount of rhino being poached and killed for their horns. These animals need us more than you know. Through this project, Rhino Project will provide an effective tool in the toolkit of rhino protection, innovation and the ability to evolve as the landscape changes is key.
With the international nuclear and radiological expertise brought by Rosatom to this project, it will make a significant contribution to saving and protecting rhino by reducing the desire for rhino horn, by both poachers and the end user, through the effective use of radioactive technologies currently available. This will enable on the anti-poaching teams to be more effective, as well as assisting international and South African law enforcement agencies track and trace the rhino horn trafficking channels by using current nuclear security capabilities in airports and harbours. Trafficked rhino horn is not an industry of its own, it has become another lucrative “commodity” for the biggest crime syndicates to benefit from. Even though the trade in rhino horn is illegal and banned internationally, there are many countries that drive the illicit sale of horn, countries like Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Croatia and North Korea to name a few.
