Innovative fish and algae aqua-farming

Offering inexpensive fish and livestock feed to island communities
Sustainable Agriculture
Cook Islands

Since 2006, the tropical multi-species aqua-farm has contributed to food security by providing sustainable supplies of organic oysters, milkfish and tilapia. Now they are also cultivating and harvesting micro-algae as livestock feed for the fish. Fish are co-farmed with shellfish and micro-algae in inland ponds, drawing on the tropical climate, natural nutrient cycles and new harvesting technologies. By providing locally-made, algae-based feed, the project is tapping into an under-served market of 8,000 seafood-loving residents and 90,000 visitors in the Cook Islands. 

Eco-Inclusive Impacts
Aqua-farming contributes to food security by offering inexpensive and toxin-free seafood, a traditional part of the local diet, while providing a local source of employment.
  • Contributing to food security by offering an inexpensive and toxin-free seafood, a traditional part of the local diet.
  • Reducing dependence on expensive food imports.

 

  • Reducing the pressure on natural fish stocks while farming micro-algae extracts CO2 from the atmosphere and converts it into a useful, carbon-based product.
  • Ensuring all applicable international health, environmental and organic standards.
  • Increasing family’s income by 150% while fulfilling international customers’ demands for organic products and derivatives.
  • Providing a sustainable income base for farmer families, in addition to a marked improvement in food security.

 

Partners

A local business in partnership with a national NGO is farming oysters, fish and algae under controlled conditions in an environmentally friendly and wholly sustainable manner. Farming fish provides relief from subsistence fishing of the over-harvested lagoons in the region as well as new food security and income generation to communities involved.

Ecoculture Ltd manages the aquafarm, headed by amarine biologist and businessman, and supported byTGA’s Chairman.

Titikaveka Growers Association (TGA) is an NGO that promotes the combination of biological agriculture and organic aqua-farming as a new basis for sustainable, regional fish and livestock farming.

The Ministry of Agriculture is a strategic partner that informs national policy regarding food security and import substitution.