Daniel Burtner, director of marketing and aquaponics project manager for the Sustainable Enterprise Accelerator, points as he explains to members of the public about aquaponics during SRU's “Children's Earth Day Celebration”e April 22 at the Macoskey Center.

SLIPPERY ROCK — Fish, plants and bacteria could combine to provide vegetables and protein for drought-stricken areas of Uganda.

Called aquaponics, the alternative gardening method uses less water and no dirt.

It's a sustainable ecosystem of fish, plants and bacteria for growing plants in which fish provide nutrients for plants, and in turn plants filter water for the fish.

An aquaponic system is on track to be set up in Africa this summer through the efforts of the Slippery Rock-based Sustainable Enterprise Accelerator, a university-managed operation committed to promoting the growth of various promising businesses.

SEA's Aquaponics Project is currently arranging to construct a system in Lukaya, Uganda, through the efforts of Real Partners Uganda.

“The lack of water is the signal issue for the health of the people in Uganda,” said Ken Bennett of Real Partners Uganda, a nonprofit group that supports Ugandan organizations aiding children and orphans in the African nation.

“Aquaponics can grow vegetables and protein using 90 percent less water and twice as fast in drought areas,” said Bennett of Slippery Rock.

Bennett said he approached the SEA about the project after a recent return from Uganda.

The system could make a good fit for the drought-stricken nation.

Aquaponics reuses the water in its setup, said Colleen Beck, the founder and CEO of Seed Aquaponics of Pittsburgh, which helped set up the prototype project at Slippery Rock University.

“We helped build the aquaponics system they have housed in Macoskey Center,” she said.

“It had a fish tank that was 8-feet-by-4-feet and 2 feet in the ground. The plant containment tray was 1-foot-by-by-16-feet long.” Beck said.

“The plants in that system are on trays floating on the water. The roots grow in the water and the green parts grow up,” she said.

Beck said the fish are kept in a separate section because they would eat the plant roots, but the water between the two sections is constantly circulated.

She said koi or tilapia are the fish used and the plants grown are herbs and green leafy plants such as lettuce.

“The fish can be eaten at the end of the growing season or they can use something else like koi which can survive the winter,” Beck said.

For more than a decade, Beck said she has researched efficient water innovations and management techniques within gardening and farming in North America, Asia, Europe and Africa.

The plan is to build an aquaponics model this year, said Bennett, at the Ugandan Martyrs University.

“We are partnering with Ugandan Martyrs University for science learning and cultural learning,” said Bennett.

Future plans call for a second aquaponics setup to be constructed next year on the grounds of Mustard Seed Academy, a Ugandan secondary school run by Real Partners Uganda, Bennett said.

Bennett said Slippery Rock University students could travel to Uganda next year to monitor the progress of the aquaponics system.

Bennett said university students raised more than $7,000 for the project.

Dan Burton is the student team leader, Bennett said.

Aquaponic benefits include extension of the local growing season; providing incentives and tools to engage in empirical research; and establishing a market for innovative sustainable agricultural systems.

The aquaponics project is an ongoing collaboration and communication effort between professionals worldwide, Slippery Rock community members, Slippery Rock University students and faculty, and SEA ambassadors.