Training Educators in the Southern Region Using Aquaponics as a Sustainable Agriculture Solution

View the project final report

Commodities

• Animals: fish

Practices

• Animal Production: aquaculture
• Education and Training: workshop

Aquaponics, the integration of hydroponics and aquaculture, has emerged over the past three decades as a viable and sustainable agricultural method, attracting growing interest due to its water conservation potential, suitability for urban agriculture, and promise as an alternative for salt-inundated coastal farmland. Despite increased public and grower curiosity, many agricultural educators lack the hands-on experience necessary to effectively guide producers in system design, food safety, and cost evaluation. This project developed and delivered a hybrid (online/in-person) training program for agricultural professionals across the Southern U.S. to address this gap. The training significantly enhanced participants’ knowledge and confidence in aquaponics systems. Pre- and post-test assessments of 37 participants revealed a dramatic average score increase from 30.14 to 83.90, indicating a mean improvement of 53.76 points. The consistency of gains across learners (SD = 6.51) confirmed the reliability of the instructional approach. Survey data also showed that 83.3% of respondents felt the training met their professional needs, and all reported gaining actionable knowledge they intended to apply in their work. Topic-specific learning gains were strongest in business strategies and food safety, with average increases of +2.8 on a 5-point scale. Even the lowest-scoring area reflected a meaningful gain (+1.9), underscoring the training's comprehensive impact. Hands-on sessions, particularly those focused on water quality and system design, were well-received by 66.7% of participants, though feedback indicated a desire for more interactive, applied learning experiences. The online platform supporting the training was rated highly (average 4.9/5 for usability and structure), and participants appreciated the blend of visual examples, practical content, and instructor support. Open-ended responses recommended enhancements in delivery pacing, question clarity, and session flexibility. Overall, the project successfully equipped educators with foundational and practical aquaponics knowledge, preparing them to better assist growers in assessing the feasibility and implementation of aquaponic systems. Future improvements should include expanding dynamic in-person engagement, refining presentation quality, and incorporating more flexible content delivery methods.

The project goal is to develop a hybrid online and in-person training program for educators to learn the fundamentals and best practices of working with an aquaponics production system. This training will enable educators to introduce aquaponics as a sustainable technology for food production to small agricultural business entrepreneurs and homeowners, demonstrate the essential system components, examine production and financial management strategies, and convey food safety best practices to implement during the production and harvest of fish and produce. The training material will be accessible online for other land grant universities, colleges, secondary education, USDA agencies, and other government and non-government organizations to utilize.

The specific objective includes: 1) developing learning modules covering introductory material, system components, operational management, harvesting, food safety protocols, and business/marketing strategies; 2) formatting the modules to consist of PowerPoint presentations, videos, interactive activities, quizzes, and other online material essential to exploring all aspects of aquaponics; and 3) completing the training course with a visit to the aquaponics greenhouse or mobile unit for a hands-on field day to explore operational systems and practice concepts learned in the online course.