Will Leschen, David Little, Stuart Bunting and René van Veenhuizen

In: UA Magazine No. 14 - Urban Aquatic Production

The cultivation of fish and aquatic plants/vegetables¹ is widespread throughout many cities in South East Asia and to a lesser extent in Africa and Latin America. Aquatic production is intrinsically linked with the livelihoods of a significant number of the lower income urban households. There is a wide array of activities, from extensive to intensive cultivation of both fish and aquatic vegetables. However, the production systems involved are generally semi-intensive often utilising wastewater from the city as a source of nutrients and fertiliser for increasing production.

¹⁾ term aquatic vegetable is used throughout this edition to describe the edible green plants water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) – commonly known as water morning glory, water mimosa (Neptunia oleracea), water cress (Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum) and water dropwort (Oenanthe stolonifera) which are grown in water.