There has been a long history of attempts to promote subsistence rural aquaculture within South Africa. Many of these attempts have failed due to inadequate support from government and support agencies. There has been a recent revived interest in promoting rural aquaculture development. Presented in this project are six scenarios demonstrating the potential application of thermal modelling techniques to improving subsistence rural aquaculture. These scenarios were based on a model validated against a real life system, and run with environmental data for the year 2005. Bovine manure, grass thatch, cereal straw and Typha spp. water reeds were tested for thermal performance. These results were then applied to the scenarios. The open and kraal enclosed pond scenarios yielded the widest deviation in temperatures throughout the year, with an average temperature of 3.8oC and 6.0oC above ambient and a temperature range of 10.6oC and 12.4oC for the year respectively. Eliminating solar radiation and reducing wind speed resulted in an average difference of 1.5oC below ambient and a temperature range of 7.5oC for the year. When completely enclosed in a well-sealed traditional Xhosa style hut, the pond had an average difference of 5.6oC below outside ambient temperature, with a range of 7.8oC for the year. A passive solar heating scenario added to the sealed hut scenario, which when run continuously maintained an average difference of 34.7oC above outside ambient temperatures, with a range of 56oC for the year. When a hypothetical 25oC temperature control was included in the model, the system maintained an average of 7.1oC above ambient outside temperatures, with a temperature range of 0.8oC throughout the year. The wider range of temperatures made available through the use of thermal modelling approaches provides a more diverse range of species available for subsistence rural aquaculture at any site, significantly improving its potential.

Thesis (MScEng (Industrial Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study is to investigate the techno-economic feasibility of operating an aquaponics farm in South Africa. Aquaculture is the fastest-growing type of food production in the world, yet South Africa is lagging behind international efforts to boost the industry. An independent academic feasibility study on small scale aquaponics farms in South Africa has not been performed before, causing current and prospective farmers to be uncertain about the prospects of the venture. The study is approached by investigating the aquaculture and aquaponics industry and gathering the relevant information. By investigating other models used to represent aquaculture or aquaponics systems, the required information is gathered in order to build a unique model for the purpose of determining the feasibility of the case study farms. The model is modified to represent each of the case study farms. The results show that the majority of the farms are not economically viable. A sensitivity analysis provides some insight on how varying certain parameters can affect the performance of the systems. Using the information gathered in the case studies and research, a near-ideal system is specified in order to establish whether this improved system can be viable whilst taking into account the constraints placed upon aquaponics ventures in South Africa. The study suggests some recommendations for current and prospective farmers that might improve their chances of succeeding with an aquaponics venture. The study finds that currently aquaponics in South Africa is hindered by a number of constraints that result in it being a high-risk venture with meagre returns on investment. However, the study shows that if an aquaponics system were designed, built and managed correctly, it could theoretically be an economically viable venture. The investigation has, in a logical method, provided insight into the viability of operating an aquaponics farm in South Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie is om die lewensvatbaarheid van akwaponika in Suid-Afrika te ondersoek. Akwakultuur is die tipe voedselproduksie wat die vinnigste groei in die wêreld, maar Suid-Afrika hou nie tred met die internasionale poging om akwakultuur te ontwikkel nie. „n Onafhanklike lewensvatbaarheid studie oor kleinskaal akwaponika plase in Suid-Afrika is nog nooit onderneem nie. Dit veroorsaak dat huidige en voornemende akwaponika boere onseker is oor die uitkomste van hulle ondernemings. Die studie is benader deur die akwaponika en akwakultuur bedrywe te ondersoek, en die relevante inligting te versamel. Deur ander modelle wat gebruik word om akwakultuur en akwaponika sisteme te verteenwoordig te ondersoek, is die nodige inligting versamel om „n unieke model te bou wat gebruik word om die lewensvatbaarheid van die gevallestudies te bepaal. Die model is aangepas om elkeen van die gevallestudies te verteenwoordig. Die resultate wys dat die meerderheid van die gevallestudie plase nie ekonomies lewensvatbaar is nie. „n Sensitiwiteitsanaliese gee insig oor hoe spesifieke parameters die prestasie van die sisteme affekteer. Deur die inligting wat versamel is tydens die gevallestudies en navorsing te gebruik, kan „n sisteem gespesifiseer word om te bevestig of hierdie verbeterde sisteem lewensvatbaar kan wees terwyl dit die beperkings waaronder akwaponika sisteme in Suid Afrika geplaas word in ag neem. Die studie verskaf „n paar aanbevelings vir huidige en voornemende boere. Hierdie aanbevelings kan die kanse van sukses van die ondernemings verbeter. Die studie het gevind dat akwaponika in Suid-Afrika deur „n aantal beperkings benadeel word, wat lei tot „n situasie waar dit „n hoë-risiko onderneming is, met lae opbrengste op die belegging. Maar, die studie wys ook dat as „n sisteem korrek ontwerp, bou en bestuur word, dit teoreties „n ekonomies lewensvatbare onderneming kan wees. Die studie het op „n logiese wyse insig gegee oor die haalbaarheid van akwaponika in Suid-Afrika.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / Some digitised pages may appear illegible due to the condition of the original hard copy / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates the current level of aquaculture production in South Africa and factors which will help with its further expansion. Aquaculture provides jobs, can assist in alleviating poverty, can earn substantial amounts of foreign exchange and can give rise to various multiplier and linkage effects within the economy. As fishery products are processed further, it is significant that benefits have the potential of becoming more pronounced. Although the South African aquaculture industry has played a negligible role in the development of the domestic economy, its contribution has increased in recent years. Despite providing few employment opportunities, the local aquaculture industry is export-orientated and has the potential of becoming an important foreign-exchange earner. In addition to being able to assist the country's balance of payments, a larger domestic industry could, through its various linkages with the rest of the economy, provide the impetus for the establishment of various related industries. It is not only through these effects that the aquaculture industry could help create new employment opportunities, but the industry itself becomes more labour intensive the further it moves down the processing chain. The prospect of these potential benefits has moved the state to establish various aids to assist the development of the local industry. The most important of these are the Strategy for Biotechnology Development in South Africa, the White Paper on the Promotion of Small Business and a joint mariculture forum between industry and the state. There are factors in favour and factors against the aquaculture expansion. The benefits are too important to be discarded. And the disadvantages can be eliminated by various techniques that have already proved themselves elsewhere in the world. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die huidige vlak van akwakultuur in Suid-Afrika en die faktore wat die uitbreiding daarvan sal beinvloed. Akwakultuur skep werksgeleenthede, help met die verligting van armoede, dit kan aansienlike hoeveelheid buitelandse valuta vir Suid-Afrika verdien en gee aanleiding tot verskeie vermenigvuldiger effekte na die res van die ekonomie. Hierdie effekte is geneig om van groter omvang te wees indien visprodukte verder verwerk word. Alhoewel akwakultuur tot op hede 'n weglaatbaar klein bydrae gemaak het tot die ontwikkeling van die Suid Afrikaanse ekonomie, het hierdie invloed in die afgelope jare toegeneem. Die akwakultuur industrie onderhou relatief min werksgeleenthede, maar is uitvoer ge-orienteerd en het die potensiaal om in belangrike verdiener te raak van buitelandse valuta. Behalwe vir die voordelige uitwerking wat die bedryf het op die betalingsbalans, kan 'n groter akwakultuur bedryf, deur verskeie vermenigvuldiger effekte, aanleiding gee tot die oprigting van verbandhoudende bedrywe. Behalwe vir die werksgeleenthede wat hierdeur ontstaan, word die visbedryf algaande meer arbeidsintensief en voorsien dit meer werksgeleenthede soos daar langs die waarde toevoegingslyn afbeweeg word. Die verwagte voordele wat die industrie kan bied, het die staat oortuig om sekere hulpmiddels tot stand te bring om die uitbreiding te bevorder. Die belangrikste hiervan is die totstandkoming van 'n Strategie vir Biotegnologiese uitbreiding, 'n beleidsdokument vir die bevordering van klein besighede en 'n akwakultuur samewerkingsplatvorm tussen die staat en die bedryf. Daar is faktore wat die plaaslike uitbreiding ondersteun en ander wat 'n nadelige invloed mag veroorsaak. Die positiewe faktore is te belangrik om die geleentheid nie te benut nie. Die nadelige faktore kan voorkom word deur tegnieke te gebruik wat hulself reeds suksesvol bewys het.